Run To Her Door
by Monogram
Summary: It's been three years since he left Tokyo. He didn't think he would ever go back. But now, he has no choice. Mamoru must return to Tokyo for business or lose his job. There's no way he'll have to face her in such a large city anyway, right?
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

* * *

"Go, or lose your job."

Mamoru could only stare blankly after his retreating boss. His midnight blue eyes only getting darker at the implications of his statement. Why didn't he understand what he was asking him to do? This wouldn't be just a business trip. This was so much more.

Mamoru rose from his seat to return to his office. He needed to be in solitude to think this over. He moved through the busy halls of the all-too-familiar space, not needing to take heed of any obstacles. His familiarity allowed him to move freely, keeping his attention undivided.

He soon entered the comfortable space and decided very quickly that it was too bright. He moved to the far wall, covered in windows which were currently allowing too much light into the room. He pulled down the blinds and closed them in one smooth motion. Sighing in complacence in the comfortably dim room, he moved to his desk chair. In one last hopeful action, he checked his calendar, hoping to find some inconsequential meeting or appointment scribbled in the boxes representing the next five days of his life.

Only empty boxes looked back at him. They were laughing at him, he was sure of it.

All he had to do was secure the deal. A few days of negotiations. Several drafts of the contract. Secure the signature. That was all he had to do. Nothing in his job description required further action. No attention had to be paid outside of his work. Tokyo was a huge city. There was no chance he would even see her.

And with that, Mamoru knew he had lost his battle. For three years he hadn't thought of her, spoken of her, or seen her. And he certainly hadn't missed her. But now it had all been undone.

Tokyo. He also hadn't been back to the city since that day, three years ago.

Thoughts of the city brought up so many memories. Too many beautiful and painful memories.

How could he jump off that plane and not run to her door?

* * *

Mamoru looked out the window onto the very familiar scene below. The skyline certainly hadn't changed and he could still place himself on the busy streets. Tokyo hadn't missed him in his absence. He turned back to the front, suddenly enraptured by the geometric pattern of the seat in front of him. Who designed these things anyway, he wondered futilely.

After three years of successfully ignoring anything that had happened in this city in the past, he was forced to remember all that had taken place there. Throughout the flight, Mamoru had been inundated with thoughts of happiness, passion, and love. But more importantly, of guilt, anger, pain, and loss.

The voice of the pilot came over the intercom for the final time, announcing that they would soon be landing. And for the ninth time since boarding the flight, Mamoru wondered how he was going to jump off and not run to her door.

* * *

After unpacking, Mamoru found himself sitting on the plush hotel couch, looking out the expansive window onto the city that he had tried so hard to avoid. The sun was slowly moving below the horizon, leaving the city hugged by brilliant oranges, pinks, and purples. He only ever watched the sunset with… No, he wouldn't think about it. He wouldn't think about her. Remembering brought nothing but pain. It would distract him from what he was here to do. And he just wanted to get it done and return to Osaka.

It was six o'clock. He wasn't tired. He could spend the night ordering room service or…

His eyes suddenly fell on his cell phone sitting on the coffee table. If he was in the city, he knew there was at least one person he should call. Slowly, he moved to pick up the phone, dialing a number that couldn't be forgotten, not even if he tried.

Mamoru listened as the phone rang twice, before a voice replaced the tones, clearly confused by the unknown number. "Hello?"

Mamoru paused. "Motoki?"

There was a moment when Mamoru wasn't sure if he had been heard, or if the man on the other end had simply hung up. Finally, very quietly, "Mamoru?"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Mamoru found himself sittng in the last place he wanted to be, in the last city he wanted to be. But he owed this much to the man he still considered to be his brother. Even if he hadn't spoken to him in three years.

The arcade was filled with familiar noises. Some mechanic, coming from the game consoles, while others were shrill and excited, coming from the teenagers teeming from all corners of the building. Mamoru looked around, searching for any familiar faces, happy when he found none. The teenagers which once filled the arcade had been replaced by new, fresh faces. Their seemingly-young exteriors reminded Mamoru that he certainly had grown up since the days he frequented this scene.

How long had it been since she was here last?

Angry with the unexpected thought, Mamoru searched the arcade again, desperately looking for the man who had insisted on his coming here. He was relieved when he saw the smiling, familiar face of his best friend and brother walking toward him in his apron. And for the first time in three years, Mamoru smiled.

He swiftly rose from the red-and-white-striped booth to greet his brother, taking a few short steps before the blonde took him into a tight hug.

"It really is you." Motoki seemed almost surprised that Mamoru had actually shown up. Actually, Mamoru was surprised, himself.

"It really is me." Motoki released him and looked into the smiling, bright blue eyes which contrasted with his own darker ones. "It's been a long time."

"That it has. Too long."

Mamoru nodded his head in accord. "But you haven't changed a bit."

"You have," Motoki replied cryptically, sliding into the booth. Mamoru followed suit. "What are you doing here? When did you get here? How long are you going to be here?"

Mamoru chuckled at Motoki's ramblings, sighing before responding, "Well I just got here. Business."

Motoki's smile seemed to falter a bit. The response was clearly not what he had hoped it would be. "So you'll be leaving afterward?"

"Of course." Mamoru didn't even hesitate.

Motoki nodded slowly, looking at the man who had disappeared from his life in disbelief. "Three years… Seems longer."

"Not long enough."

Motoki considered the answer and realized that, clearly, Mamoru had lost any ability to empathize since his sudden disappearance. The pair sat in silence for a few moments, each considering the implications of Mamoru's presence.

"What are you going to do while you're here?" Motoki questioned, prodding for an answer he knew he wouldn't get.

Mamoru looked up suddenly from the table, his short-lived smile having been replaed by a blank expression. "I told you, I'm here on business."

A silence continued to take over the loud atmosphere of the arcade before Motoki leaned in closer to his missing friend, "She still comes here you know."

And with that statement, Mamoru slammed his fist on the table, shaking the salt and pepper shakers on the end and causing Motoki to jump. Motoki nearly apologized for the daring statement before he heard Mamoru sigh, defeated. Mamoru looked up from the table, the expression on his face having changed once again to a look of pure distress.

"I don't know how I didn't jump off the plane and run to her door."

Motoki didn't respond. He didn't have to. He knew there was nothing he could say to ease the pain he was sure his brother had been feeling for three years.

In the back of his mind, Mamoru heard the cheery sound of the bell above the door ringing, signaling the entrance of another customer. Motoki looked up to greet the customer and shot up straight when he saw the short-haired pixie. Hesitantly, Motoki looked to Mamoru with a comforting glance. "Mamoru…"

At the sound of his name, Mamoru turned as well to see who had entered. His heart nearly stopped as a woman he was sure he would never see again stopped beside his booth.

The blue-haired girl smiled in greeting to Motoki before noticing the presence of a second figure. It took only a moment to recognize the face, but moments more to believe that it was real. "Mamoru-san?"

Mamoru bowed his head respectfull in greeting, "Ami-chan."

Ami covered her mouth in complete shock as her eyes grew, unable to accept the vision in front of her. "How… Why?" She could only look to Motoki for reassurance that this was real. He nodded in response, smiling in a way in which he hoped would calm the brilliant pixie. Unable to think of anything else to say, Ami only softly announced the first thing that came to mind. "Makoto is on her way here to meet me."

Mamoru knew that this was meant as a warning. If Makoto were to see him here, in Tokyo, the amazon would only react much more violently than Ami had. He took the warning and rose silently from the both. "It was good to see you again, Ami-chan. I hope you are doing well." He looked over to his brother, "I'll see you again soon." And with a final bow of the head, he left the arcade once again.

Once the bell signaled his exit, Ami fell haphzardly into the booth he had retreated. Neither Amy or Motoki spoke a word or took a glance at each other. Just moments later, a much more cheerful third party approached the booth and entered next to Ami, her brown waves bouncing as she landed in her seat.

Makoto looked questioningly between her two friends, curious about the silent atmosphere. "Hey guys, what happened? Did ya' see a ghost or something?"

END PROLOGUE

* * *

AN: Let me know! How is it? Intriguing enough to continue? Reviews help me write faster! And brighten my dreary, college days!


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

* * *

Hours later, Mamoru found himself back on the beige upholstered couch in the hotel room which would be his for the next five days. Sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his thighs and his head in his hands, Mamoru could only wonder. Questions flew through his mind so rapidly, he wasn't even sure they formed complete thoughts. What had he gotten himself into? Why did he agree to come here? How was he going to get through this?

Even through his worries, he knew he was glad to have seen Motoki again. In his attempts to rid himself of the painful memories, he had also forgotten about his friend, which wasn't fair to him. Motoki deserved more for his years of putting up with all of Mamoru's annoying habits. As the memories came rushing back to him, he laughed and shook his head. Yes, Motoki certainly had done more than his fair share and there was no reason Mamoru should have left him out in the cold like he had been doing for the past three years.

But thinking back to the encounter at his former haunt, Mamoru knew that this wouldn't be just about his friendship with Motoki. It couldn't be just about Motoki, that much was obvious. Where there was Motoki, there was his job at the arcade, and where there was the arcade there were people like Ami. _Her_ friends. Ami, Makoto, Rei, and Minako.

And _her_.

He had seen and spoken to Ami and he was almost certain that the encounter would get back to her. Even if the soft-spoken, non-confrontational Ami didn't tell her directly, she would certainly have told Makoto when she arrived. And Makoto would be absolutely livid. And Makoto would definitely tell her.

God, he still couldn't even say her name. Her name only evoked the images of her face, her smile which would inevitably cause him to smile, and those eyes… Of all the things he tried to forget the most, it was her eyes. Always her eyes. Those eyes were beyond words. There was no color known to man that could accurately represent the deep, soulful, shining blue. But more than their color was their ability to reflect everything . Whenever he looked into her eyes, he could see his own soul exposed completely to him, and to her. They reflected every thought, emotion, and memory he ever had. He was completely vulnerable to her whenever he looked into those eyes.

He had to stop this. He couldn't take these feelings. Desperately, his eyes searched the room for a distraction. Anything to stop him from thinking about her any longer. Noticing the darkness of the hotel room for the first time, he realized that he hadn't turned the lights on since his return… How long had he been back? The generic digital clock gleamed in the darkness, alerting him that it was nearly ten o'clock and he had yet to eat. In his few minutes at the arcade, he hadn't gotten anything to eat, which had of course been the goal of the visit. Looks like it would be room service tonight, after all.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang, causing him to jump in surprise. He found the device in the pocket of his dark jacket, placed carefully across the back of the couch. His surprise was only furthered by the realization that Motoki was calling.

"Motoki?"

"You know, you didn't get anything to eat. And I bet you still haven't eaten," Motoki teased. Mamoru realized that this man knew him better than almost anyone and, even though they hadn't seen each other in too long, that hadn't changed at all.

"Leave it to you to worry about my eating habits," Mamoru returned with a grin.

"Listen, Mamoru," Motoki's tone shifted almost immediately, "I didn't realize any of them would be coming tonight. If I had known, I wouldn't have suggested it."

"Don't worry about it," Mamoru consoled, even though he knew it was unnecessary. It wasn't necessary to attempt to make Motoki feel better, and it definitely wasn't necessary to pretend like what happened didn't matter.

"I know you didn't want to see any of them. It's not too hard to see that Tokyo is the last place you wanted to be right now, or ever for that matter." Motoki laughed sardonically, only creating more guilt as Mamoru realized how unfair he was being to the man who had been his only family for so long.

"I shouldn't have just left like that, man. I'm sorry." As he said it, Mamoru wasn't sure if he was referring to what took place only hours before, or his disappearance. Mamoru rubbed his temple in frustration.

Either way, Motoki seemed to accept the rare apology from his friend, his voice returning to its cheerful timbre. "No problem, man. I get it. But I still want to make sure you eat. If you don't meet me for dinner, I'm sure you probably wouldn't eat anything at all. I just closed, so you can come down and we'll eat alone, like old times."

"I'd really like that." And, surprisingly, Mamoru meant it. He loved the nights he and Motoki would sit and chat for hours in the empty arcade, devoid of its usual loud atmosphere.

"Great. Come back down and I'll have your usual ready for you." Mamoru smiled, thankful that his friend was so willing to forgive. Of course, he shouldn't have expected anything less from Motoki.

* * *

Mamoru approached the glass doors once again and waited patiently with his hands in his pockets, bracing them against the cool night air. Motoki quickly saw his figure through the glass and walked toward him, keys in hand. As he unlocked the doors to allow him in, he heard the familiar ring of his cell phone. "Hey Mamoru. Your burger is at the counter. Go ahead and start eating, I'm just gonna take this call."

Mamoru nodded and continue on the straight path to the counter at the back of the arcade, noticing a plate and glass placed in front of one of the metal bar stools. At the door, Motoki reached in his pocket for his phone, looking at the front to see who was calling. As the name flashed across the front of the screen, he looked back at Mamoru who was settling into his seat and taking a sip of water. With a deep sigh, Motoki answered the phone, remaining at the door to keep his distance from Mamoru.

"Hi Rei," he answered calmly.

"'Hi?' That's all you have to say to me? 'Hi?'" The strength of Rei's voice over the receiver caused Motoki to pull the phone away from his ear to ease the shrill sound.

"What do you want me to say, Rei?" Motoki sighed.

"What the hell is he doing back here? And what are you doing with him? What does he want?" Rei continued to ramble and Motoki knew he had to quickly put an end to this.

"Rei, you have to calm down. He's here with me. We're eating at the arcade. He doesn't mean any harm," Motoki continued to defend his friend.

"Why the hell are you protecting that asshole? What the fuck are you thinking, Motoki?" The strength of Rei's voice only continued to rise with each acid-laced question.

"Rei, he's not hurting anyone! He's just here on business! Calm down!"

"Calm down? You want me to calm down? Makoto comes back screaming at the top of her lungs that that bastard is here! And do you know what happened, Motoki? Do you?"

Motoki sighed again before answering, "No, Rei, I don't know. But I'm sure you'll tell me."

"She comes walking out of my room! Where she had been the entire time! She heard the entire damn thing!"

At that, Motoki could feel his eyes double in size. He looked behind him, to the counter where Mamoru was sitting quietly, seemingly deep in thought. As his attention was given to Mamoru, he could still hear Rei continue to let him know just how angry she actually was. "Rei, I don't know what you want me to say…"

"Why are you letting him think it's OK to be here?" she demanded.

"He's my best friend, Rei. And he's hurting. I'm not going to shun him!"

"My best friend is hurting too, Motoki. She has been for three years." Finally, Rei seemed to calm down as she thought of her friend. "And now, she's sitting on my bed, crying. What am I supposed to tell her?"

Motoki took a moment to think about it, taking the time to glance at his friend again. "I don't know, Rei. I wish I did."

Rei sighed as she realized that this conversation wasn't going anywhere. "I'll talk to you later, Motoki," she paused as she considered her next statement, "Don't let him do anything we'll all regret."

"Later, Rei." Motoki could only end the call.

"Bye, Motoki."

After hanging up, Motoki took a deep breath to regain his composure, before heading back to his friend with a smile on his face. As he approached the tall man, he realized that his friend was slouching. Never before had he seen his confident, composed friend slouch. In all his years of knowing Mamoru, he had only ever expressed complete control over his appearance around others. Quietly, he took his seat next to the dark-haired man.

"You haven't eaten your burger yet," he stated the obvious, "Do you not like burgers anymore?" He meant it as a joke, but the change on Mamoru's already-distraught face only seemed to turn to pure self-loathing.

"It was about her, wasn't it?" The question was so soft, Motoki wasn't sure he heard him correctly. Instead of answering, Motoki only nodded in affirmation. Mamoru sighed, fighting an inner battle, wanting to ask the question in the forefront of his mind, but hesitant to hear the response. Finally, "How is she?"

Motoki was sure he didn't realize it, but as Mamoru asked the question, his voice broke, signaling his fear. "She's been OK." Clearly the answer wasn't enough for Mamoru. "She's been doing really well since she started college."

Mamoru couldn't help but think that that was only after he left Tokyo. But, for the first time, he realized how much he had probably missed in the three years of his absence. Now he was being faced with the obvious. Since his leaving, she had moved on with her life. She was in college. Actually, she would be graduating soon. And he didn't even know her major. Had she gotten any taller? Had she changed her hair? Mamoru didn't know how he would react if her beautiful golden locks had been chopped off. All of the little things he missed. All of the big things he missed.

He should have been there for her. Even after what happened.

Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he realized there was another thing he didn't know. Something he wanted to know. But he couldn't ask.

"She hasn't seen anyone since you left."

Mamoru's head turned to face Motoki. He had to have been reading his mind. He was sure he didn't ask the question. But Motoki always knew what he was thinking. He couldn't hide anything from him. And Mamoru knew he was pleased with the answer.

"She's not the same girl anymore, Mamoru… While I'm certainly glad she's doing well in school, she's lost some of herself…" That statement quickly grabbed Mamoru's attention. What did he mean? "She doesn't smile very much anymore… She doesn't laugh as much anymore. All of the brightness that we loved so much about her is…" Motoki searched for the right word, "missing."

Whenever Mamoru thought about her back in Osaka, he always imagined that she had continued with her life as it was. He imagined her bouncing through the streets, laughing with her friends at the arcade, and lighting up everyone's day, just as she always had. To hear that all of that was gone was more than Mamoru could handle.

"Something in her left with you, Mamoru."

With that statement, Mamoru felt the rush of emotions he had worked so hard to dispell. But that couldn't happen. He couldn't let himself feel. He had destroyed his life here. It was over.

Now, he just had a job to do.

END CHAPTER ONE

* * *

AN: I know I updated fast, but when I'm on a roll, I'm on a roll! And hopefully this will encourage more reviews! Let me know what you think!

Thanks for all of the reads and reviews so far!


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

* * *

The room was shrouded in darkness. Only the soft beams of moonlight shone through the cracks of the closed blinds, hitting the wooden floors and eclipsed into nothingness. The figure carefully observing the glimmers of light lay restless in a bed that did not belong to them.

Maybe that was the reason she couldn't fall asleep, Usagi thought to herself.

But she knew she couldn't hide the true reason.

After her near-mental breakdown earlier this evening, she knew there was no way Rei and her friends would let her go back to her house alone. Although Usagi insisted she would be fine, her friends were even more obstinate in their decision. So now she found herself in Rei's bedroom, her dark-haired friend lying next to her, facing the opposite direction. And, while she couldn't see them, she knew the three remaining members of the infamous group were sleeping soundly on the floor around them.

What a night…

Usagi spent the afternoon with Rei, studying for the class they had together. She took a short break to go to the bathroom, and when she returned she was met with the deafening sound of Makoto's anger.

He was here. In Tokyo.

As an unwanted sob escaped from her throat, three sets of eyes moved to her figure in the doorway. Usagi covered her mouth in a feeble attempt to stop the well of emotions from flooding, but it was futile. Rei, Makoto, and Ami stood in complete silence, as motionless as statues, waiting for whatever reaction was to come from their broken friend. They were immediately by her side as the first crystalline drop slid down her cheek. An instant barrage of sympathetic coos came from the group of girls as they surrounded Usagi.

"Usagi, we didn't want you to find out…"

"He's such an asshole!"

"I can't believe he would even show his face!"

But the statements only fell on deaf ears. While Usagi was surrounded by the three girls, it was suddenly as if she was completely alone. Usagi couldn't see anything in front of her, and the only sound she heard was her pounding heartbeat and heavy breathing, the intensity of the actions filling her ears. In a desperate attempt to ease the pounding, she placed her hand over her heart.

He was here? In Tokyo?

She was so close to him. If she wanted to, she could find him and see him.

Then the memories of that day came back… The feelings of abandonment and utter betrayal. She had been unable to deal with those feelings before, choosing instead to quell them. She had dismissed them so long ago, praying to whatever God would listen for peace. She needed peace. She knew she would never again find happiness without him, but she at least wanted peace.

But now, confronted with her suppressed emotions, Usagi wasn't sure if she could handle their implications. The façade she carried of control was shattered.

"Usagi? Usagi! Answer me!" Hearing the voice, Usagi refocused herself, her eyes suddenly meeting with Rei's concerned look. "Usagi, are you alright?"

And that was all it took for her to break down. Usagi collapsed in a limp pile on the floor, sobbing.

What happened afterward was a jumble of emotions. After collapsing, Makoto carried Usagi to Rei's bed as Ami called Minako. The girls spent the rest of the night in a desperate attempt to assuage their best friend.

Thinking back to the events of the evening, Usagi was reminded once again how incredibly lucky she was to have the most amazing friends she could ask for. She appreciated their willingness to put up with her for the past three years. She knew, of course, that she had changed since he left Tokyo. But never once did they leave her side. They never complained when she would get lost in her own thoughts. They were always there for her when she needed them, even if she didn't seem to appreciate their presence.

Usagi sighed and sat up slowly, careful not to wake the sleeping girl next to her. She looked around the room once again, ensuring that the three forms on the floor were actually asleep, and moved out from the bed. Not having planned a night at Rei's, she was still wearing her clothes from the day, pleased that she had chosen a pair of comfortable pants and a warm top to brace herself from the cold. She softly opened the door to the bedroom, checking once more to see that the girls were still asleep, and listened as the door clicked shut behind her.

She had to get out of here.

* * *

The winter air was biting against her exposed face, the wind causing her hair to blow softly in the same direction. She placed her hands in the pockets of the jacket she found in the closet before leaving the shrine. For the first time that night, Usagi wondered what time it was. It dawned on her that she hadn't brought her cell phone with her and she certainly didn't have keys to the shrine. She just hoped the girls didn't wake up, worried that she was wandering off to do something insane. As she walked along the street, she looked for any clock that might come up. Finally spotting one in a shop window, she noted that it was past midnight. Thank goodness she didn't have classes tomorrow.

After he left, Usagi poured herself into her studies. She realized her past dreams of building a family and taking care of her children were now lost and she had to find a new path. She would be successful. She wasn't sure what success meant to her anymore. But to everyone else, it seemed as if it had to do with getting the right job and making lots of money. So that was what she would do. Classes and studying took up much of her time and didn't allow her to think about what she might be missing. It was a distraction. And, until today, it worked.

Usagi took in her surroundings once more and was pleased to see the park in the distance. She picked up her pace and moved toward the green area. As she entered, she searched for her favorite bench in the middle of the rose garden, hoping to find a pleasant solitude there before she returned to the shrine. However, as she neared the enclosed area, she noticed a large, dark figure move behind the bushes. Intrigued, and slightly frustrated that her plans had been foiled, she moved closer to inspect the intruder.

She felt the wind leave her as she quickly recognized the shape of the figure sitting on her bench. In shock, Usagi was left frozen. Had anyone else been in the park, they would have certainly mistaken her for a statue. Finally, a slight movement by the man brought the face she had etched into her mind came into view, and Usagi couldn't help but take one more step to allow the features to become clearer. What was she doing? What if he saw her?

He was so close…

His dark head was resting between large hands. Hands she knew held more strength than her entire being, but hands that could be softer and more comforting than any others. His eyes were closed and Usagi was thankful. She knew exactly what to expect if he were to open those eyes. Any control Usagi may have currently had would have been lost. As the wind continue to blow, it tousled the well-groomed black locks, moving them out of place. He was completely silent as he sat there, obviously deep in thought. Usagi would give the entire world to know what was causing his features to twist in frustration. The man finally took a deep, shaking breath, reminding Usagi that she had forgotten to breathe herself in the past few moments.

As soon as she let out the deep breath, however, she felt her heart skip a beat as a phone began ringing. Terrified that it may have been her own, she calmed after remembering once more that she left it at the shrine. She took another step toward the man as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his own phone. Usagi gasped lightly as she heard his soft, deep voice float throughout the silent night air.

"Hello?" There was a pause as he listened to the response and Usagi couldn't help but wonder who would be calling him this late at night. Her breathing stopped again as she realized it was probably his girlfriend. She was removed from her musings, however, when she heard a change in his tone. He quickly became frantic.

"What are you talking about, Motoki?"

Motoki? That was who was calling him? Usagi saw him tense up suddenly, his posture becoming rigid. "What do you mean they can't find her?"

Immediately, Usagi knew Motoki had to be referring to her. She, too, tensed, and realized she had to get back to the shrine right away. Usagi turned and began running back the way she came. She had to get away from him before he saw her. He couldn't see her! She ran at top speed, fully aware of a second pair of feet moving in the dry winter grass behind her. She finally exited the park, continuing down the dark, vacant streets.

* * *

Minutes later, and panting heavily, Usagi reentered the shrine to find the lights on. She moved through the door quietly, hoping to avoid the rampage she was sure would follow her appearance. Almost as soon as she stepped through the threshold, however, four high-pitched voices shouted her name and she cringed.

"Hey guys…" she grinned at them meekly, hoping for some sympathy.

"Where the hell have you been, Odango? We've been worried sick! We had no idea where you could have gone off to!" Rei marched toward her, stretching her taller frame to hover over the small woman.

"I just went for a walk… I hoped you guys wouldn't wake up before I got back." Usagi's eyes searched the room to see the worry, fear, and anger on each face.

"You could've told one of us! And you left your phone! How could you be so irresponsible Usagi?" Rei fumed.

"I just," Usagi carefully chose her words, "needed some fresh air. I couldn't sleep." Noticing the faces around the room easing, she added, "I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean to make you worry."

Minako sighed deeply before walking toward the other blonde, placing her hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "It's alright, Usagi," she said softly, "We understand. It's been a hard day."

Usagi looked away from her, "You have no idea…"

Rei walked toward her phone, "I need to call Motoki back and let him know that you're alright."

The statement took Usagi back to the scene in the park. She wondered is Mamoru had seen her during her exit. When he answered the call from Motoki, it certainly seemed as if he was worried. The thought created a glimmer of hope, before another replaced it. Maybe he wasn't worried. Maybe he was angry that Motoki would call him so late. And for the first time, a very important question entered Usagi's mind.

"Why is he here?" Usagi asked with conviction.

The unexpected question took the rest of the group by surprise.

"What do you mean, Usagi?" Minako asked cautiously.

"I mean, why did he come back to Tokyo? What is he doing here?" As Usagi continued to talk, her voice began to rise in frustration.

The four were hesitant to answer. What was with the sudden curiosity? What if she didn't like the answer?

Usagi, however, knew they were resisting. This only increased her level of annoyance. Her hands formed into tight fists and she stomped one foot. "Why is he here?" she demanded.

While the sight in front of them was anything but intimidating, they knew she wanted – _needed_ – an answer. Rei sighed, "Motoki told me he's here for business."

Usagi's expression went blank. Business. Of course it was business. It was always business. He wasn't here for her. That was merely wishful thinking. Wishes that shouldn't have been made.

It was always business.

END CHAPTER TWO

* * *

_AN: Another chapter down! I'm hoping to continue with the quick updates. I still feel like I'm oozing with ideas! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter and please let me know any thoughts you might have! You reviews brighten my day!_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

"There are certain aspects of this contract that worry me. How are you going to ensure me that your company isn't trying to sneak something past me?"

Mamoru was brought back to reality as the balding old man demanded an answer from him. Standing up to meet the shorter man, Mamoru sighed deeply, praying for patience, as well as an end to this day.

"Hayashi-kun, I assure you that we have taken your interests, as well as our ow, into consideration in the drafting of this contract. Everyone will benefit. You will see on page thirty-two, fourth paragraph, that there is an easy-out clause in case of dissatisfaction for either party involved." Mamoru could only hope that this would be enough to placate the man. Whereas he would usually throw himself into his work, he was finding that his environment was draining all interest in the matter at hand.

"I understand your position, Chiba-kun. Please excuse my hostility." The man took his seat again at the head of the long table, placing his head in his hand. "This is my life's work that we are discussing. I don't think you can understand everything I have given up to ensure the success of this company. And now it's being taken from me by a conglomeration... Just another company to chew up and spit back out."

Recognizing the distress in the man, Mamoru took a step closer to him and lowered his voice in a comforting manner. "While I may not completely understand your situation, I do understand the sacrifices you must have made for your life's work. Please believe me when I tell you that I have no interest in destroying your company or risking what I know is so important to you. You will be taken care of, your current employees will be taken care of. I do not intend this to become a hostile takeover. This is our attempt to give you the best options for your company and my own."

There was silence as Mamoru allowed him to absorb his offer.

"Could you give me just a few more days to think it over?" the man pleaded.

"Certainly, Hayashi-kun. Take your time and get back to me in a couple of days. This is a big decision." After a final pause in order to assure that nothing else would be said, Mamoru silently walked out of the conference room and toward the elevator.

At least that was over.

* * *

Usagi sat silently in the red-and-white-striped booth, her hands cupping the glass of her untouched milkshake, staring at the slowly-melting whipped cream topping, as her friends chatted happily around her.

"And it's Friday! The weekend is finally here!"

"I swear that felt like the longest week ever..."

"I can't believe my professor would give me a pop quiz on a Friday! Way harsh!"

Ami was the first to notice that Usagi was not taking part in the conversation. In fact, it seemed as if she had traveled to the moon. "Usagi-chan? Are you alright?"

The blunette's soft voice interrupted the previous chatter, creating silence as the other three girls noticed the absence of Usagi's attention. When Usagi did not immediately answer, Rei attempted to bring her back to reality. "Hey Odango! You haven't wolfed down your milkshake yet. What's wrong, someone run over Luna or something?"

Noticing the nickname, Usagi finally seemed to rejoin her body, bringing her attention to Rei. "Don't call me Odango, Pyro." She then noticed how cold her hands had become and removed them from the frozen glass, rubbing them together to regain warmth.

Five heads turned as a familiar voice was heard moving towards them, "Usagi-chan, you haven't finished your shake yet. Is something wrong with it?"

Usagi gave a half-smile to the man who always seemed to take care of her, "No Motoki-onii-san, it's fine. Just haven't gotten around to eating it yet, that's all."

"You know, Usagi, you haven't eaten much at all lately. What did you have for lunch?" Makoto asked worriedly.

Usagi turned her attention to the brunette, giving her the same empty half-smile, "Don't worry about me, Makoto. You know it's just been a crazy day. But at least it's Friday!"

"No kidding! I don't think I could have taken another day of classes!" Minako seemed to bounce in her seat slightly. "Speaking of, what are the plans for tonight, minna?"

"Movies at my apartment? We can stop by the store and pick up some snacks before we head over. Or I could cook! Which would you prefer, Usagi?" The foursome faced the blonde again, only to find her staring blankly ahead. "Usagi? Wouldn't you like me to cook tonight?" It seemed even the promise of Makoto's cooking couldn't take Usagi's attention from the front of the parlor. All emotion seemed to be removed from the blonde and the color was quickly draining from her already-pale skin.

"Usagi? What's wrong?" Minako asked worriedly. Her head whipped around, curious to find the object of Usagi's disturbed gaze. Her breath seemed to escape her as she recognized the all-too-familiar head of black hair, piercing blue eyes, and intimidatingly handsome features. The well-built figure moved from the entrance of the arcade, his hands busying themselves with the task of removing the silk tie from around his tailored collared shirt. While her booth had suddenly quieted itself, the rest of the arcade's customers continue to ramble boisterously, not recognizing the importance of this moment.

However, Minako's reverie was disturbed as she heard Rei's voice over the hum of the crowd, "What the fuck is that asshole doing here?"

Worriedly, Minako turned back to observe Usagi's reaction to the sudden appearance of the man who was never mentioned, as well as to Rei's outburst. It seemed the noise had drawn the attention of several on-lookers, but Usagi's face remained terse and unchanged. Rei suddenly moved from the booth, shaking the table as she stood, then charged toward the unaware man near the doors. Makoto quickly followed the furious woman, hoping to calm her, but also to be sure that she was in on the action. Minako was still, however, more concerned with the vacant expression on Usagi's face.

Rei wasted no time using the element of surprise to back the shocked man against the solid wall of the building. "You must have some kind of death wish to show your face here. You think witnesses will stop me from doing to you what I've wanted to do for three years?"

The man's blue eyes widened in shock at sudden attack by the smaller woman. He the noticed the amazonian woman behind her, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder, while she glared up at him in warning. "Now Rei-chan, don't do anything that you will regret."

"There's nothing I could do to this asshole that I wouldn't regret," she responded threateningly.

Motoki, reacting quickly to the disturbance, attempted to place himself between the raging priestess and his affronted friend. "Rei-chan, at least don't do this at my arcade. For my sake. And for Usagi's sake as well."

The three sets of eyes quickly turned to him. "I don't think Usagi would mind too terribly if I removed him off the face of the planet, Motoki."

"Even so, I don't think she would like to witness it, Rei," he mocked, hoping to calm her down somewhat. At that, midnight blue eyes seemed to brighten and widen, as he immediately searched for that unforgettable face.

"She's here?" He said it in a low tone, not realizing the response it would trigger from the two irate women.

He immediately felt himself pushed harshly back into the wall, his eyes cringing in pain. "Even if she was here, what makes you think we would let you near her?" The furious voice came from the brunette who had been the calmer of the two before his unintentional outburst.

"Makoto-chan, Rei-chan, let the poor man go. I think he's got the picture." Once again Motoki attempted to place himself between the feuding trio. He was finally able to remove Makoto and Rei from their hold on his friend.

"Just one hit, Motoki. Just let me have one hit!" Rei attempted to charge the man who was putting his hands up in surrender, but Motoki maintained his control over her.

"Rei! Stop it!" The four heads turned to gaze at the angry blonde across the arcade. "Leave him alone." The commanding tone in Usagi's voice gave no room for disagreement. Suddenly more subdued, Rei and Makoto made their way back to the booth they previously vacated.

As they slid in the round booth beside their friend, they observed the change in her as she seemed to adopt a regal aura.

"Usagi, why..."

Usagi interrupted Rei quickly, raising one hand in protest. "There's no reason to hurt him, Rei."

"No reason? I can give you about fifty reasons why he deserves to leave in an ambulance!" Rei shouted in rebuttal.

"Excuse me..." The deep voice caused the girls to look over at the man they never thought they would see again. They looked up at the tall man who looked uncharacteristically nervous. He could only stare at Usagi in amazement. "Would you mind if I spoke with you for a moment?"

"Over my dead body!" Rei screamed in protest.

"Rei, I don't think he was talking to you." Usagi said quietly, unable to take her eyes off of the man who broke her heart three years ago. While she portrayed an air of confidence, she was a jumbled mess of emotions. There were so many questions running through her head, demanding answers. The only thing keeping her from falling apart in front of this man was her need to get those answers. "Would you let me out, please?" She looked to the side where two bodies were keeping her from exiting the corner booth.

"I don't think so!" Rei responded.

Ami shook her head and stood up to allow Usagi to pass through the opposite side, "Rei, calm down. This isn't any of our business."

Taken aback by the Ami's unexpected statement, Rei let out a breath and crossed her arms in defiance. As Usagi slid out of the booth gracefully, her friends could only look on as she walked toward the employee-only door which led to the secluded back room of the arcade. Mamoru could only follow behind silently, wondering what she would say.

Wondering what he would say.

* * *

Mamoru quietly shut the door to the back room and turned to find the petite blonde woman facing away from him. He felt like his heart was going to fly out of his chest, the speed of its beating only increasing as he waited for any words to be spoken. As he waited to hear her voice again. He had to see her face. Wanted her to look at him in that way which always managed to make him lose his breath, wondering what good deed he had done in some past life to deserve the love of such an amazing woman.

But he lost that love. Now, he knew, he had to gain it back.

He was brought out of his reverie as he heard her question, her voice floating softly through the enclosed room, "You wanted to talk to me?"

He could only nod in response, before he realized that she couldn't see the motion, so he took a deep breath, trying to figure out exactly what it was he intended to say to her. "Yeah..." Wow, really eloquent, he thought to himself as he put his hand to his temple. There was silence before he took a deep breath, "Usako..."

His eyes doubled in size as he realized what had come out of his mouth so unexpectedly. And that was what it took for Usagi to have the courage to turn and face him. As he looked at the face he remembered as his angel, he noticed the many emotions that flew through her sparkling eyes: surprise, shock, anger, fear. Fear? Was she afraid of him?

"You don't have the right to call me that anymore." He noticed then that she seemed to be shaking, her arms sitting tightly against her small hips. "What exactly did you want to talk to me about?"

"I..." he searched for an answer he knew he didn't have, "I don't know. I just had to talk to you. I wanted to be near you again."

That was all it took for Usagi to lose any control she had and she exploded, tears pouring down her face as she stomped over to Mamoru, attempting to look as intimidating as possible, and stopping mere inches from his presence. "How dare you say something like that to me! After three years!" Mamoru could only stand silently, giving her the time he knew she needed to release her pent-up emotions. "I spent three years trying to forget everything about you! Trying to forget all of the pain you put me through! Trying to forget how much I loved you! Trying to forget how you gave up on us!"

"How I gave up on us?" he questioned, suddenly angered by her insinuation, "You are the one who broke up with me!"

**END CHAPTER THREE**

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_AN: Hello dear readers! I am back after an unexpected hiatus - and for that, I apologize. The motherboard of my laptop fried after three long years. Wow, what a coincidence... Just realized that! Ha! But now I have a MacBook Pro! (That's right, be jealous) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! And, as usual, as soon as I start writing one chapter I get the inspiration to continue writing another! So expect a new chapter within the next couple of days! Please review as I have needed encouraging words over the past few days..._

_Love!_


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

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Usagi could only turn away from the man she had deserted, knowing that his words were true. She closed her tear-filled eyes tightly, hoping to block out the image of this beautiful man behind her. However, the image of his matured face and god-like body was burned into her brain. She couldn't risk looking at him for too long, knowing already that being this close to him could only make her lose what little bit of strength she had left. Now she could only pray that he didn't hear her heart pounding, threatening to beat right out of her chest.

"Usak-...Usa..." She could very nearly hear the internal debate going on inside of the beautiful man. Even though it had been years, she could picture his perfect features twisting as he searched for the right words. Usagi allowed the silence to hang thickly in the air, as she had no intention of speaking yet. Finally, she heard a deep sigh and she opened her bright eyes, waiting to see what he had come up with. She knew what would follow. "Why?"

The control she had established on her emotions was shattered with that simple question. She had practiced this answer over and over in her head, even wrote it down as she looked for the perfect combination of words to express the complex answer to that simple question. But now, when faced with the opportunity to use that answer, she was left speechless. Seeing him in the front of the arcade, seeing his pain moments ago left her without the emotions she had been experiencing for the past three years. And now her heart had reopened to him, whether she allowed it to or not.

She was thrown from her stupor as a hand urgently reached out to her, touching her right arm briefly, before it was retracted. The action was joined by a desperate request, "Please!"

The strength of the cry was enough to jolt Usagi in her spot, her eyes widening at the pitiful sound. She then looked down to the offending arm, feeling a burn lace her skin where his hand had dared to touch. As her eyes stayed downward, focused on the soft white of her blouse, she searched for an answer. "I... We..." Where had that confidence gone? She had worked so hard to create the new Usagi, but she was nowhere to be found when she was needed most. Everything she had gone through, everything she had done to herself was failing. And as she berated herself for her failure, her vision became hazy as her knees began to give out under her.

All she could focus on in the darkness was the hysterical voice of the man she loved as he called for help.

* * *

Mamoru sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair, his head in his hands as they rested on his knees. How long had it been, he wondered again. The sights and the smells of the hospital were only adding to his distress as he waited for any news of Usagi. What in the world could be wrong with her? She was perfect.

He could hear the voices of her friends as they whispered nearby. While most of the girls were subtle in their conversation, Rei would often raise her voice to express her disdain.

"Why should he even be here anyway? That asshole didn't care enough about Usa-chan in the past three years, why is he here now? For all we know, he did something in that room to make her faint!"

That was it. Mamoru was willing to put up with her hatred and the comments, but the implication that he didn't care about that angel was too much for him to handle. He quickly stood from the chair, his black jacket falling to the floor from its resting place on the back. The sound of his shoes made a soft thud against the linoleum floor of the hospital hall. The sudden action grabbed the attention of the four girls and the turned from their places to watch his reaction.

"Hino-san, I understand that you are upset with me for leaving so suddenly. Hell, I wouldn't blame you for hating me. But don't ever make assumptions about my feelings toward her." The calm tone of his voice was more threatening than if he had been yelling. "You have no idea what I have gone through in the past three years and you have no idea what happened today. Your accusations aren't helping anything. So for the sake of us all, _shut up_ and wait to hear from the doctor." And with that, Mamoru returned to his seat, resuming the position he had just left.

When Rei returned from her state of shock, she began to yell and Makoto and Minako took her arms to keep her from charging the dark-haired man. "How dare he? Who the hell does he think he is? Let me go, Makoto!"

All of the commotion died, however, as soon as the door in front of them opened. Mamoru's head snapped up in attention as Ikuko Tsukino walked over to the girls she had grown to love as her own. Mamoru could only watch with bated breath as the older, obviously distraught, woman spoke to the girls. Slowly, each of them seemed to collapse in realization and Ami and Minako began to cry. Rei turned to Mamoru swiftly, anger burning in her violet eyes.

"I knew it!" Her voice cracked even through the anger. "I knew it was all your fault!"

"Rei-chan! Rei, stop it!" Ami pleaded through her tears. "Blaming this on him isn't going to make anything better." With that, Rei stalked off in resignation. The rest of the girls soon followed.

Mamoru stood automatically, looking pleadingly at Ikuko, desperate for answers. Slowly, she made her way over to him. As she neared, Mamoru felt as if his heart was going to burst from the anxiety. When the older Tsukino woman reached him, he noticed the tear stains marring her mature features. "Tsukino-san," he began but was quickly interrupted.

"Mamoru-san, please, how many times do I have to tell you? It's Ikuko."

He sighed, "Ikuko-san... Is she alright?"

A sad smile crept onto her painted lips, "She will be OK. She's just sleeping now"

Mamoru let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and he sat back down as he regained his senses. "But, Mamoru-san, there is something you need to understand..."

At the sudden change in tone, Mamoru turned his head quickly to face her. "Usagi hasn't been," she searched for the right words, "quite the same since you left."

"What do you mean?"

"She..." Mamoru watched as her features fell and Ikuko began to cry again. "Usagi... Usagi has an eating disorder, Mamoru-san."

Even though she continued to speak, Mamoru was unable to focus on her words. An eating disorder? His perfect Usako? How did this happen? How had he not noticed when he saw her? He had been so stunned to see her at all.

"Mamoru-san?" The sound of his name pulled him back to the reality of the situation. "Mamoru-san, listen to me." He nodded his head in affirmation. "I will let you see Usagi. But only because I believe you are the only one that can stop this. I don't blame this one, but I am glad to know that you are back." The tears continued to fall. "Please, Mamoru-san, save my daughter... I don't know what else to do!"

Mamoru stared wide-eyed at the usually exuberant woman. What had she seen in the past three years? And why did she trust him without any hesitation? The look in her eyes told him she needed reassurance. "Ikuko-san, I understand. I promise I will do everything in my power to help her." Even as he made the promise he wondered if he would be able to keep it. How was he supposed to help her if she didn't love him anymore?

Hesitantly, he rose from his chair and moved toward the closed door. He reached out for the handle and turned it, bracing himself for whatever sight he may face. As he entered the room lit by the bright fluorescent bulbs, he focused immediately on the small form on the bed. He moved slowly toward Usagi, but was distracted by the beeping machines and IV tubes surrounding her. As he looked at her again, he noticed that her normally-pale skin lacked any of its usual brightness, her hair didn't shine as he remembered and her cheeks were sunken. Of course she had always been slight, but how had he not noticed that she was even more slim than usual?

"Usako... What happened to you?"

At the sudden interruption to her sleep, Usagi slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the light. As the form next to her begin to take shape, she inhaled deeply. "Mamoru-san? What are you doing here?"

The sound of her voice instantly lifted him and he rushed to her side, kneeling to meet her at a more comfortable level. "You're awake! How are you feeling? Do you want some water?"

She shook her head. "You didn't answer my question."

Mamoru gave a half-smile in response to her stubbornness. "I'm here to make sure you're alright, obviously." His expression turned serious, "You scared me to death, Usa..."

Usagi only gave him a look of nonchalance, "I'm fine, really. Just haven't been feeling very well lately."

Mamoru looked at her intensely, "Usagi, I was worried sick about you."

"Don't be. It was just a fainting spell. When can I get out of here?" She looked around her at the last question, noticing the IV in her arm for the first time.

Mamoru laughed slightly and stood up. "Would you like me to find out for you?" She nodded in response and Mamoru stepped out of the room to find Ikuko, being sure not to go too far. He found her in the same place he left her and she rose to meet him at his appearance. "She's awake. She wants to know when she can leave."

Ikuko let out a breath and smiled in response to her daughter's nature. She moved to go inside the room and Mamoru followed closely behind. The woman went to Mamoru's recently-vacated place beside Usagi's bed and took her daughter's hand. "How are you feeling, Usagi?"

Mamoru stood in front of the bed with his hands in his pockets, watching the exchange.

"I feel fine. Better," was Usagi's response.

Ikuko leaned to give her daughter a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Alright, then I'll go find your doctor." She moved to leave and laid a reassuring hand on Mamoru's arm as she passed him.

Mamoru turned back to the bed to see Usagi attempt to sit up. "Whoa, Usa!" He rushed over to her side and took her shoulders. The action caused Usagi to look up at him in confusion. "Wait for the doctor to get here." He pressed her gently back into the hospital bed.

"Stop making this such a big deal! I only fainted! I'm fine!" she fumed.

"I'm sure you are, but I'd like to hear it from a doctor, too."

As he spoke, Ikuko returned with Ami's mother. Dr. Mizuno had a caring smile on her face as she entered. "Usagi-chan, I'm glad to see that you're awake. I hope you feel rested?" Usagi nodded in affirmation. "Good. Well, I'm going to let you leave very soon if you assure me that you feel better. If not, you can stay under my supervision for the night."

"No, I feel much better," Usagi reaffirmed.

Dr. Mizuno walked closer to her ward, "Alright then. Now, Usagi-chan..." She paused, taking note of another presence in the room. "Oh, may I speak openly with the young man present?" Usagi turned to look at Mamoru and nodded slowly. "Alright. Well, Usagi-chan, I want you to understand that your vitals were incredibly low when you arrived." She looked down at her clipboard, flipping through a few pages as she searched for specifics. "Your blood pressure was extremely low, your blood sugar was low, your samples showed very low levels of iron and magnesium, and your heart rate was very low."

Mamoru looked over to the doctor, his face covered in concern as the severity of of the situation began to show.

"Usagi-chan," Dr. Mizuno's voice began to drop, "I can't force you to enter any sort of rehabilitation program, but I must let you know that it would be very helpful. I worry about you as a patient and as my daughter's best friend."

Usagi allowed a smile to come to her face as she registered to genuine concern in her voice. "I understand, Mizuno-san. I promise to take better care of myself."

"I hope that is the case," Dr. Mizuno replied. "I'm not going to put a feeding tube in you now, Usagi-chan, but I want you to understand that is an option if this problem persists." Usagi nodded. "Alright, well let's see if we can't get you out of here and back home." She placed her clipboard on the side table. "Go ahead and sit up, slowly." She watched as Usagi mimicked her instructions. "Your blood pressure is still quite low, so we will wait until it rises again before we have you stand up. I will return in a few minutes."

She turned to leave and Ikuko excused herself, leaving Mamoru and Usagi alone once again. He walked slowly to her side, watching the monitor to take note of any rise or fall in her blood pressure. "I'm assuming my mother told you." Her voice brought Mamoru's attention back to the sitting Usagi. He only nodded in response, in no hurry to force answers from her. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again, this time her tone seemed more pleading, "Just don't treat me any differently because of it, OK?"

"Never, Usa. I promise." The look he gave her told her that his promise had a deeper meaning. Before she could question it, however, the two older women returned at the tail-end of a conversation. Mamoru cleared his throat and backed away from Usagi to allow Dr. Mizuno better access to her patient.

She checked the monitor again and smiled, "Your blood pressure is beginning to rise again. Young man, if you wouldn't mind helping her stand?" She looked back at a surprised Mamoru and nodded. He moved over to her bedside and cautiously took both of her frail hands in his own, much larger ones. As he closed his hands around hers, he felt a familiar rush of energy surge through him and he looked back up to Usagi to find her wide eyes reflecting his own emotions. Mamoru cleared his throat once again as he set to his task. Slowly, Usagi began to push herself off of the bed before she was in a standing position with his own strength as her support.

"How do you feel, Usagi-chan?" The question from the doctor interrupted her thoughts as she smiled in approval. "Wonderful! It's been quite a day for you. I'm sure you'll be pleased to return home."

Before Usagi could respond, her mother beat her to it. "Actually, Usagi will be staying with Mamoru-san for a while."

Both Usagi and Mamoru turned immediately at this new information and replied in unison, "What?"

**End Chapter Four**

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_Wow! What a surprise? I didn't see that coming at all! Sorry dear readers, just a little bit of bad humor from my side of things. Hope you enjoy the little twist! Well, not enjoy it per se, but you know what I mean. I know this chapter didn't deal with Usagi and Mamoru's relationship much like the previous chapters have, but obviously they got a bit sidetracked. Don't worry, the next chapter will bring them back around! And I promise you all it won't take as long to come out as this one did. It's been a bit of a crazy semester! I'm writing this during my spring break, but as soon as I get back spring volleyball season will begin! But that will not take away from the time I dedicate to the story, I promise you. Anywho, if you enjoyed it, you should really let me know! It really does make me happy! And if you didn't enjoy it, I appreciate constructive criticism more than most people. Even if it doesn't make my happy, it at least teaches me something! So, in conclusion, please review!_

_And for those of you who were unsure of the twist in the last chapter, please recall that I never said that Mamoru broke up with Usagi, only that he left Tokyo. Ah, semantics! They sure are fun to play around with!_

_Until next time, dear readers!_

_Love!_


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

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"Mom, what in the world are you talking about?" Usagi questioned, stunned by Ikuko's statement. She felt the hands covering her own tighten slightly in response to the surprise announcement. The strong presence behind her kept her upright, even as she began to shake.

Ikuko nodded in reply with a pleasant smile. "Your father and I discussed it, and we believe that it would be best if you were under close supervision."

"And why can't you supervise me?" Usagi retorted.

"Usagi, don't you remember? Your father and I are going out of town this weekend. We both feel that Mamoru-san could provide you with better care while we're away."

"_Dad_ agreed to this?"

Ikuko nodded once again, turning her attention to the stunned man. She smiled brightly at him, "Mamoru-san, you wouldn't mind taking care of my daughter while I'm unavailable, would you?"

Still in a state of shock, Mamoru could only shake his head in response. He finally cleared his throat as he regained his composure. "Not at all, Ikuko-san. It would be my pleasure."

"Oh, good! Then it's all settled! Usagi, I want you to go on over to Mamoru-san's apartment. I will bring your things by later this evening. You need to rest," she said pointedly to the obviously-frustrated Usagi. Her smile then returned as she moved to speak with Dr. Mizuno. "Well, if that's it, I guess we can just go to the front desk to check her out?"

Dr. Mizuno nodded, "Usagi-chan, I won't require a follow-up appointment. I would, however, appreciate it if you would let Ami know if you have any questions or concerns. Just take better care of yourself, dear."

"I'll be sure that she does," Mamoru stated intensely.

* * *

Mamoru moved to place the key in the front door, noticing his hand shaking fiercely, making the simple task much more difficult. Finally, with a deep breath, he opened the door and turned to the frail beauty behind him. Her face was hidden, as it was turned towards the carpeted floor of the hallway, but she moved through the entrance without a single word. He followed behind only when he saw her stop in the living area.

Mamoru cleared his throat nervously, unsure of what he should do now. How had this happened? What was Ikuko thinking? This could either be a blessing, or the most miserable weekend of his life. Finally, after some time, he spoke. "Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap?"

There was no response, only a slight shaking of the head indicating a negative answer. In return, he looked around the apartment. While he had planned to stay in the hotel during his stay, it seemed he would be a bit side-tracked.

"I see you got your apartment back."

The statement surprised him and he snapped his head back to her figure, still turned away from him. "Um, yeah. Well, actually, I never sold it..." His voice dropped out as he let the realization of the statement sink in.

Usagi was, indeed, very surprised by this. She had, of course, assumed that once he left, he had erased all evidence of his existence. Especially here. Where they had shared so many moments. With this thought, the reminder of those times which she had attempted to forget were slowly surfacing. She felt herself getting dizzy again, recognizing the strange chill that alerted her of her low blood pressure - a feeling she was becoming very accustomed to. In response, she sat on the nearby black leather couch, pulling her legs up underneath her.

As she sat, she finally allowed herself to look around the apartment, noticing that nothing had changed since the last time she had been here. Of course, it was obvious that the apartment had been lacking the attention it once received. But the light still shone brightly through the many windows, beams hitting the plush carpet all around. His numerous CD's and DVD's were still placed neatly in the tower, almost certainly still in alphabetical order. And, finally, she noticed the many pictures. Pictures of Mamoru, herself, and the two of them together, which she had placed throughout the apartment to personalize the area.

The apartment now acted as a graveyard. A time capsule of his life - of their life together - from before.

With this thought, she threw her head against the back of the soft couch and sighed. How in the world was she supposed to survive this?

Looking up at the ceiling, she noticed a shadow approaching and turned to face the solemn-looking Mamoru.

"You can either tell me what's going on, or you can tell me what you want for dinner. Your choice."

Usagi closed her eyes to avoid his presence, noticing that it was a miserable failure as she could still sense his movement. "Neither."

"That's not an option."

Her eyes shot open in response, finding him standing uncomfortably close in front of her. "Excuse me?"

"Either we talk, or we eat. Those are your options."

Usagi felt the anger rising in her quickly and attempted to stand up, only to find herself blocked by his intimidating presence. "Then I'll go stay with Rei."

"Like you really want to answer they questions she will have to ask," he stated with a smirk, knowing that she would not want to face the probably-fuming pyromaniac.

Usagi kept her face defiant, refusing to admit defeat, but knowing that he was right. There was no way she wanted to see Rei right now.

His smirk grew, knowing he had won this battle, and he moved toward the kitchen. "Come on, I'll make your favorite. I should have everything I need."

Still angry at having lost so easily, Usagi searched for something to release her anger. "How do you even know what my favorite is anymore? For as long as you've been gone, it could have changed."

This caused Mamoru to pause in his trek, stopping slightly as the insinuation dawned on him. However, he started up again, resuming his mission. "Well even if it's not your favorite anymore, you certainly couldn't hate it." This seemed to stop Usagi's attempt to rile him, and as he opened the cupboards, he was thankful for having hired a maid service to take care of the apartment while he had been away. As he searched his pantry, he took note of the ingredients he would need to pick up from the store. As he looked around the kitchen for usable materials, he heard the sounds of the television from the living room.

What was he supposed to do?

* * *

Mamoru walked into the living room, two bowls in his grasp. He noticed the TV was turned to a new movie, one he knew to be a "chick flick." He smiled and shook his head as he approached the couch. As he approached, Usagi turned toward his appearance. He tried to smile reassuringly. "I do hope you still like this." As he had been cooking, the idea that this may not be the right thing to do had plagued his thoughts.

Noticing the internal debate, Usagi nodded slowly and took the proffered bowl and chopsticks. "Thank you." She removed her legs from underneath her and crossed them in front of her, creating a more comfortable position to allow her to eat. The smell of the noodles, sauce, and chicken wafted and she found herself excited to eat. Mamoru sat on the couch next to her, not too close, she noticed, but not too far away. In spite of herself, she felt comforted by his nearness.

She tried to focus on the movie as she ate her still-favorite meal to avoid both the annoyance she associated with eating, as well as the gorgeous man beside her. They both sat in silence, only the dialogue of the characters in the movie filling the room. She felt his eyes on her several times throughout the movie, but avoided making any kind of eye contact or even acknowledging his presence.

Mamoru knew she was avoiding him. And why wouldn't she? Usagi knew that she would have to talk sooner or later. As he continued to think about her illness, he only found himself being more and more angry. Not at her necessarily, but at himself. He had left her and she was suffering. He should have been here to help her! He was her protector!

As the movie ended, he noticed her place her bowl on the coffee table, a little more than half of the food having been eaten. As much as he would like to see the bowl empty, he knew not to expect too much too soon. However, he still couldn't get over his frustration.

"Why are you here, Mamoru?" The sudden question surprised him and he answered only with the most obvious response.

"I'm here on business."

"I know that. But why are you here? In this apartment?" she paused, wondering if she should elaborate, "With me?"

"Well, I rented a hotel room. But plans change..." A silence set over the pair of them again, and Mamoru shifted in response to the tension. They were both looking at the TV, but neither was truly focused on the movie anymore.

"When are you leaving?" Usagi asked after some time.

Mamoru turned to her, reevaluating his plans for the first time. "Well, I was supposed to leave on Tuesday..." He searched her reaction, seeing her face drop slightly, almost too subtle to notice. "But I'll have to make some calls."

Finally, for the first time, Usagi turned to face him, though still avoiding meeting his eyes. "But why did you go to the arcade?"

He didn't have to search very hard for an answer. "I couldn't come back here and not see you."

With that confession, Usagi finally lifted her eyes to meet his deep blues. The connection caused them both to inhale sharply, shocked by the intense feelings coursing through both of them in response. They continued this way for some time, everything else forgotten. The movie ended and the credits began to roll to soft theme music, though neither paid any attention. Usagi felt a warmth flow through her, eliminating the cold which had taken over her body for so long. She saw so many emotions flow through his eyes, realizing that he wasn't hiding any of them from her gaze, leaving him completely vulnerable to her. It was a humbling experience, to know that he was leaving himself open to her, even after so long.

How was she supposed to stay angry with him? How was she supposed to forget about him when he was here, taking care of her, in this apartment which meant so much to the both of them? Usagi would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not realize that he was still very much in love with her. That had no changed in his absence, something which was as obvious in his eyes as if he would have confessed his feelings verbally.

Mamoru, on the other hand, was completely entranced by her. How could he have thought that he could live without her? Even being in her presence was like being in the presence of an angel. He noticed that the light in her eyes had dimmed, evidence of both her sickness and sadness. She was no less beautiful to him, however. Instead, the need to protect her, to shield her from whatever was hurting her, only intensified.

He had to do everything in his power to save her, to bring back the Usagi that was hiding.

Finally, they were interrupted by a knock on the door, causing Usagi to jump, and Mamoru to stand in defense of the angel on the couch. Realizing that they should have been expected Usagi's mother, however, allowed him to calm down and move toward the front door.

As he opened the door, Ikuko Tsukino was revealed, smiling brightly, as was to be expected, which brought Mamoru's own smile back. "Mamoru-san, great to see you again!" She began to move through the door, causing Mamoru to move out of the way and smirk at her cheerfulness. He had certainly missed the older Tsukino's motherly nature.

As she moved toward the living room and her daughter, Mamoru noticed that Usagi had stood as she neared. "Usagi, I certainly hope that you're appreciative of Mamoru-san helping you while we're away." Only then did Mamoru notice her carrying a bag and rolling a small suitcase behind her. He stopped a short distance from the pair, allowing them the space they might need and ready to leave them alone if necessary.

Usagi responded without facing Mamoru, afraid of meeting his eyes once again, "Of course, Mom. Especially since you volunteered him without asking him first."

Ikuko placed the bags down and Mamoru moved to pick them up, ready to move them to the guest bedroom. "Oh, Usagi, don't be silly! Of course Mamoru wouldn't mind taking care of you! Whether or not you're together - even though I know you both should just work this silly thing out."

"Mom!" Usagi responded, shocked by her mother's openness. Mamoru decided to use that as a cue to move her bags to the guest room, leaving the two women alone.

Ikuko walked over to her daughter, running her fingers through her blue hair, only slightly grayed with the passing of time. She then waved her daughter's comment off, unvexed by her obvious embarrassment. "We both know how much he loves you. And I dare say the feeling is still mutual." Usagi attempted to cut her off, but was unable to get in a response. "Besides, Mamoru-san is such a wonderful young man. Any woman should be so lucky, but of course he chose you, like the smart man he is." She then moved to hug her daughter, lowering her voice and whispering in her ear, "Don't waste this, Usagi."

Stunned by her mother's boldness, Usagi was unable to form a response. Soon, however, they both heard Mamoru reenter the living room. With that, her mother pulled out of the embrace. "Well I should let you two get back to whatever it is you were doing." Mamoru coughed uncomfortable, as Usagi found herself blushing, noting to have a long discussion with her mother at a later date. "Your father is very sorry he couldn't come say goodbye to you, Usagi, but we do have to get ready to leave in the morning. He also told me to send his thanks to you, Mamoru-san."

Mamoru nodded his acknowledgement, bowing his head slightly in respect, "It is my pleasure, Tsukino-san. Please tell him I said 'hello.'"

Ikuko began walking back to the front door, Mamoru and Usagi in tow. "Of course I will, Mamoru-san. And how many times am I going to have to tell you to call me Ikuko?" she berated him slightly, "We're practically family." With that, she gave Usagi a final hug and kiss and surprised Mamoru by doing the same to him and leaving as swiftly as she arrived.

**END CHAPTER 5**

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_AN: OK, OK! Don't hate me, please! The end of the semester was a killer! But I am now officially a college graduate! Yay me! And congrats to anyone else who may have graduated this month or in the coming month! But enough about me. In order to make up for my absence, I already have 4 (yes, 4!) chapters complete and ready to upload! So, I promise (cross my heart!) that you will be receiving regular updates through the end! I'm expecting this to be about 11 chapters, so we're almost there!_

_Anyway, thanks for sticking with me and be prepared for regular updates! _

_And, as always, please review!_

_Love!_


	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

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It took a moment for Usagi and Mamoru to recover from Ikuko's brief visit. Usagi, completely embarrassed by the majority of her mother's bold statements, and Mamoru, fighting a barrage of emotions. Usagi moved quickly back to her position on the couch, this time propping herself against the armrest, pulling her legs up to her chest and facing Mamoru as he stood, hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry about my mom. I still can't believe she says most of the things she says," Usagi apologized, shaking her head with a half-smile.

Mamoru, too, shook his head, anxious to end the apology. "No! Don't apologize! Your mother is wonderful."

"Yeah, but she definitely needs to learn to keep her mouth shut every once in a while," Usagi joked.

There was a pause as Usagi looked at the TV again, only now noticing that that movie had ended, replaced by an infomercial for some kind of food chopping kitchen appliance. She stood up and moved to the DVD tower, before realizing that she was not acting as a guest should. She turned to face Mamoru apologetically.

Recognizing this, Mamoru dismissed her worries, "It's fine. Make yourself at home. This place is as much yours as it is mine."

Unwilling to respond, Usagi only turned back to the stack of DVD's, searching for a movie to watch. "Aren't you ready for bed?" Mamoru asked, surprised by her wanting to watch another movie after such a stressful day.

Usagi shrugged, before turning back to him worriedly, "I mean, unless it bothers you. If you want to get to sleep, I understand..."

Mamoru shook his head and sat on the couch. "No, not at all. We can watch whatever you want."

Usagi smiled in appreciation, before returning her attention to choosing a movie. Finally seeing one catch her attention, she pulled it out, showing the case to Mamoru and asking for his approval. He only smiled, "Whatever you want to watch, Usa."

The genuine emotion in both his smile and his response sent a warmth rushing through her once again, and she moved quickly to put the DVD in the player, beginning the movie. She returned to the couch, making herself comfortable, leaning against the opposite armrest while being careful to not invade Mamoru's space. Noticing this, Mamoru chuckled lightly, "Usa, get comfortable. You don't have to watch yourself around me."

Having been caught, Usagi blushed in spite of herself, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."

Mamoru shook his head at her stubbornness, taking hold of her legs and pulling them across his lap, putting her in a more comfortable position. In response to the new position, Usagi shifted slightly, finally allowing herself to use Mamoru for comfort.

They settled in to watch the movie. Shortly after it began, Mamoru got up to turn off the lights and, after he sat back on the couch, Usagi adjusted to place her head in his lap. Mamoru was glad to see that she was beginning to accept their situation. Of course, he was more than happy to be the one to take care of her. He wouldn't have it any other way. He knew, however, that Usagi would not want to appear vulnerable to him. He had given her no choice but to distrust him and now she had been thrust back into his protection as soon as he arrived back in town.

Not wanting to interrupt the movie, Mamoru spoke quietly, "You don't mind sleeping in the guest room, do you? You're more than welcome to stay in my bedroom if you'd like, but I wasn't sure that you would want to."

Usagi shook her head, causing her hair, which was usually left down now that it was shorter, to cascade in his lap. Mamoru took this opportunity to move her silky hair out of the way, relishing in the feel and smell of the golden locks. "The guest room is fine. I don't want to inconvenience you anymore than I already have."

"You're never an inconvenience, Usa. Don't think of it that way," he assured her.

"You're the last person who should be taking care of me. You only came here for a business trip and now you're stuck babysitting me."

Mamoru, realizing that it was incredibly difficult for Usagi to be in the care of someone, placed his hand on her cheek, causing her to face him. "I'm not stuck with you, Usa. I want to make sure you're okay. I want to know that you're safe." Once again, Usagi chose not to respond, electing instead to move her attention back to the movie.

Some time later, Mamoru noticed Usagi's breathing begin to even and relax. As he looked down at her, he realized that she had fallen asleep. Happy to know that she was finally able to rest, he turned off the movie. He picked her up easily, noting that she was definitely much lighter than he remembered her being. Feeling his heart drop at that realization, he carried her back to the guest room, negotiating the closed door. Sitting her on the foot of the bed as he pulled back the sheets, he noticed her stir and her eyes opened slightly.

"Mamo-... Mamoru?" Smiling sadly at the correction of his name, he smoothed her hair comfortingly.

"I'm just getting your bed ready, Usa. You fell asleep watching the movie."

"Okay." Mamoru had nearly forgotten how child-like she was when she was tired. He was happy to see that this vulnerability had not changed since his leaving.

When he finished with the covers, he moved her easily into the bed, tucking the sheets around her as she smiled sweetly at him. "I was wrong."

"Were you now?" he asked teasingly, curious to see where this would lead.

"Mhm. I thought this would be easier without you, but I was wrong."

Stunned at this sleepy confession, Mamoru was able to regain his composure. "Well then we were both wrong. I thought it would be easier without you too."

"If we're wrong, we should make things right, right?"

Mamoru laughed slightly, "Whatever you say, Usako." Usagi smiled in response, closing her eyes and drifting off. "Goodnight, Usako."

He left the room reluctantly, turning off the light, but leaving the door open slightly.

* * *

Usagi woke in the morning, surprised to find herself in bed. The last thing she remembered was watching the movie with Mamoru, resting her head in his lap. She must have fallen asleep, she realized, slightly embarrassed. Usagi sat up in bed, seeing herself in the clothes she wore the previous day, and moved to the bags brought by her mother to get dressed for the day.

As she left the room some time later, showered and in a fresh set of clothes, the smell of pancakes invaded her senses. She stopped at the smell, feeling her stomach turn in response to the thought of food. Was it too soon to eat again? She had already had dinner the night before and she never ate breakfast anymore. And pancakes? Why did he have to make pancakes of all things, she wondered. Because you love pancakes, a voice reminded her. He cares about you and he wants to see you healthy.

Mind made up, she continued to the kitchen, knowing that fighting him on breakfast would almost certainly be a losing battle anyway. Better to give in than fight and inevitably lose.

As she entered the kitchen, she was pleasantly surprised to see him standing in cotton pants without a shirt, knowing that this was his outfit of choice for bed. Having gone unnoticed thus far, she took the time to soak in his appearance, having missed the sight of him. Three years older, she now knew to appreciate his incredible physique, knowing that no man could compare. Finally, her line of sight moved to his face, meeting knowing eyes and she blushed becomingly, embarrassed at having been caught staring.

"Good morning to you, too," he smirked self-assuredly, "I didn't think you'd be up quite this early, so I haven't gotten dressed yet. I'm almost done cooking and then we can eat."

Still embarrassed, Usagi only nodded in response and moved to pour herself a glass of water. "Do you need any help?" she asked.

"That's okay. Are you sure you don't want some juice? There's some in the fridge." Mamoru knew that allowing Usagi to drink water was a bad idea. There were several things he needed to look out for, including what she had to drink. She needed to have things like juices to help nourish her system. While she may have not been making these choices consciously, he would be sure to watch out for them for her sake. Usagi nodded in response to his suggestion and opened the fridge to bring out the orange juice.

"Your mom called this morning before they left. The girls called last night and again this morning to check on you." Usagi watched as she waited for him to continue. "She told them that you're here, with me. They were obviously upset and she was able to convince them to wait to come over until this afternoon."

"Wonderful. That's exactly what I need..." Usagi sighed in frustration, worried about the arguments that were sure to take place once they arrived. "Did she say when they were coming over?"

"Probably in just a couple of hours. I don't think they were too happy about having to wait at all." He watched as Usagi moved to the dining room table, noting that she sat in her normal seat which faced him in the kitchen. He turned off the stove, finished with the pancakes, and served them on plates for the two of them. "Would you mind getting a shirt for me?"

Surprised at the question, Usagi stumbled a bit. "Um, sure... Same drawer?"

"No, I just have my bags from the hotel. There should be a shirt just inside one of the bags." Usagi could only nod in response as she watched him continue to place the food on plates and moved toward his bedroom.

As she saw the door open at the end of the hall, she was afraid of what she would find in the room. While they had never taken the final step, Mamoru always feeling that they should wait until she was older, she had spent many nights with him in that room. Mamoru watched from the kitchen as she hesitated to enter. She knew that she was afraid, but he was being selfish and wanted her to remember everything they had shared in that room.

Finally, Usagi walked into the room, seeing the light streaming through the large window from the balcony onto the large bed in the center of the room. She noted that he had already made the bed with a slight roll of her eyes at his habits. She sat momentarily on the bed, running her hand along the dark navy comforter, remembering how she preferred the comfort of his bed to her own at home. The dark cherry wood furniture sat in the same configuration, a large mirror reflecting her small frame on the large bed. Looking further, Usagi saw two bags, with one larger suitcase left open on the floor. Bending down, she looked at the neatly-folded items in the suitcase, finding a plain white t-shirt folded right on the top. Taking the shirt, she turned to leave the room before a gleam of light caught her eye. On the dark dresser, an open black velvet case revealed a small, shining object.

It didn't take long for Usagi to identify the object. She picked up the case and moved backward toward the bed, the back of her knees hitting the mattress, and she sat back down. She stared in awe at the three flawless diamonds, two set against the larger, center diamond, sitting in the vintage band with an intricate design. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. And for the first time since his unexpected arrival, Usagi allowed herself to cry.

"Usagi? Usa, breakfast is ready." Mamoru called through the hallway as he moved to find her. What was taking her so long? Finally, he entered his bedroom to find her sitting on the bed, silent tears running down as she held a small, black box.

Usagi looked up from her spot on the bed as he entered and Mamoru looked on, realization hitting him as he stood, speechless. "It's beautiful," Usagi stated, quietly, her voice cracking slightly.

Mamoru nodded, "I'm glad you like it." The bitterness in his voice was evident and he walked toward Usagi to take the box from her, snapping it shut loudly. Usagi jumped and wiped her tears as she noted the anger in his tone. She stood up from the bed and watched as he tucked the case in a drawer and closed it, walking out of the room without another word. Usagi followed close behind, sure that she had overstepped her bounds.

She wiped a final stray tear away as she took her place at the table again, this time seeing that it was set for the two of them, a single rose placed in a small vase as it usually was whenever they had breakfast together before.

As they sat in silence, partaking in the assortment of dishes in front of them, Usagi finally wondered if she had lost him completely. "Mamoru, I'm sorry..."

"Don't," he interrupted her quickly, not looking up from his plate.

"I should have realized..." she attempted to continue, but her slammed his fists on the table, causing Usagi to jump.

"I don't want to hear your apologies. Not about that." There was a moment of silence as he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I'm going to take a shower. The girls are going to be here soon and I want us to talk before they get here." Usagi nodded her acceptance and he marched off, shutting the bedroom door behind him loudly.

* * *

When Mamoru reappeared later, Usagi was still sitting in her chair at the table, playing with the remainder of her food. Checking the status of her plate, he was happy to notice that the majority of her food was gone. He took a deep breath, his frustration at having lost his composure and scaring her setting in once more, and he continued back over to her. He took his place at the table once again and attempted to get her attention.

"Usagi? I'm sorry for losing my temper." He noticed her nod, but her gaze remained focused on pushing a strawberry around her plate. He took the box out of his pocket and placed it next to her free hand. "I want to give this to you." At this, Usagi's head shot up, eyes portraying her confusion. "It was made for you. You obviously don't have to wear it. You're welcome to do whatever you would like with it."

"This is mine?" Usagi asked in an attempt to clear up her confusion. "But Mamoru, I thought this was for someone else?"

At this, Mamoru met her gaze with his own confused one. "Someone else? Usagi, who else could there be?"

As realization set in, one last tear escaped as Usagi looked down at the closed velvet box. "Mamoru, I can't accept this."

"Usa, please. It was meant for you and I can't stand having it around any longer."

"No, Mamoru, you don't understand." Mamoru looked back up to meet her eyes. "I can't accept it right now. Not yet."

WIth that, Mamoru's eyes shone with a sense of renewed hope. He nodded once in understanding and replaced the box in his pocket.

* * *

**END CHAPTER 6**

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_AN: As promised, the second chapter in my regular updates! I have just moved many states away and my life is crazy right now, to say the least. So, thankfully, I have plenty of chapters ready to go to give me time to catch up on my life. On that note, please take the time to review. Moving to a completely different part of the country, all alone, for the first time in my life can be depressing at times. Reviews would be appreciated even more than usual for the next little while. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I can't wait to get your feedback on the chapter!_

_Loves!_


	8. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

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Usagi and Mamoru were washing the dishes from breakfast in the kitchen when an insistent knock was heard on the door. They turned toward each other, both knowing to expect four angry women when they opened the door. Finally, Mamoru nodded and dried his hands on the nearby dishcloth before walking towards the sound of the knocking. As he looked through the peephole of the door, he saw four, indeed angry, young women standing outside, each trying to speak over the other. I should have taken a pain reliever, he thought to himself sadly.

Finally, he unlocked the door and opened it, to be greeted by Usagi's best friends and senshi, each seemingly yelling at and questioning him. As he felt the onset of a headache, he held up his hand to silence the group. As the finally quieted themselves, he spoke, "She's fine. She's in the kitchen, washing dishes."

Ami and Minako raced past him, pushing him to the side as the passed. Rei and Makoto followed more slowly behind, greeting him with glares. "So now you have her doing your chores?" Makoto grated and they continued toward the kitchen.

Deciding that he should help Usagi manage the fury that was sure to take place in the kitchen, he sighed and took off after them. By the time he arrived, Ami had taken over the chore of washing the few remaining pots and pans while the other three sat with Usagi at the table. Mamoru posted himself up against the breakfast bar separating the kitchen and dining room, his arms crossed over his chest.

Usagi had her head in her hands as her elbows rested against the table. Each girl attempted to speak to the obviously-frustrated Usagi, desperate for answers. Finally, Usagi intervened, "Guys, please! One at a time! I can't understand a single word any of you is saying!"

Ami moved into the dining room, having now finished with the dishes. "They're sorry, Usagi-chan. They told me they wouldn't do this." Ami spoke as the more rational member of the group.

"Usagi-chan," Rei, not surprisingly, was the first to speak. "What in the world are you doing here? With _him_?"

"I'm pretty sure my mom already told you, Rei-chan. My parents are going out of town this weekend so they wanted me to stay here," she responded evenly.

"But why not with me? Why not with any of us? Makoto-chan has her own apartment! So does Minako-chan! Any of us would have been better than this asshole," she grated, sending another glare to Mamoru.

"Rei-chan, you will stop referring to Endymion as anything less than his name!" Usagi quickly took on her regal tone, desperate for a way to control her senshi. "All of you! Regardless of what has happened, he is still a prince, and he is still my protector."

While the rest had been quieted, Makoto was still unconvinced. "But Usagi-chan, he abandoned his duties. Surely you aren't suggesting that we..."

"What I am suggesting is that you do your job and I will worry about Mamoru."

"But Usagi-chan," Rei interceded, "You aren't in a state to make those kinds of decisions. Especially considering the circumstances."

At this, Mamoru became enraged and intervened. "How dare you talk to Usagi like that! Are you questioning your princess, Rei-chan?"

"Only where you are concerned, Mamoru-san," Rei challenged dangerously.

"Stop it!" Usagi interrupted the tense moment. "Are you here to check on me or question me?"

"Usagi-chan," Minako answered as the leader of the senshi, "We're here to make sure that you're alright. We don't feel comfortable with you staying with him." She placed her hand on Usagi's arm in order to comfort their princess, hoping to regain control of the situation.

"I understand. But you have to trust me. It's best for me if I stay here." Finally having answered her friends' concerns, Usagi smiled reassuringly.

"So what are you doing here anyway, Mamoru-san?" Makoto asked curiously. "Shouldn't you be at a hotel or something?"

Mamoru smirked slightly, realizing that the tense moment was over. "I never sold my apartment. I had a maid keep it in order while I was away."

The girls were shocked, to say the least, to hear that Mamoru had never fully removed himself from the city. Like Usagi, they had expected that he had left with no intent of ever returning. They wondered collectively if this meant he had intentions to stay.

"You look much better today, Usagi-chan. Not as pallid as you have lately," Ami observed. "Are you feeling better?"

Usagi nodded in response, "Much better. No more fainting."

"Well girls," Mamoru interceded, "Would you like some breakfast? We have some leftovers."

* * *

As Usagi bade goodbye to her friends, Mamoru threw himself on the couch. The sound of the closing door causing him to give a sigh of relief.

"You had to offer them food..." Usagi teased.

"Well I figured is was the best way to get on their good side," Mamoru defended himself.

"Jewelry works much better. And it's faster," Usagi retorted, harkening back to the morning's events.

Mamoru laughed, "I'll remember that next time."

Usagi walked back to the living room and stood in front of the lounging man, enjoying the quiet. "What now?"

"What do you mean?" Mamoru responded to the loaded question.

"I mean, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Usagi clarified her question, though wondering herself what would be next for the two of them.

"Can't we just sit here, in silence, for the rest of the day?" Mamoru pleaded.

"I think you already know the answer to that." Usagi walked around the living room, stopping in front of a picture and picking it up to examine it closer, a sad smile appearing on her face.

Noting the silence, Mamoru looked up to see Usagi turned away from him. He stood and moved over to her side, seeing the picture of the two of them. The picture, he recalled, which had been taken on his birthday years ago - the first time he ever truly celebrated his birthday.

"I can't believe you never took any of these down," Usagi stated, looking at the rest of the pictures around the room without replacing the one in her hands.

Mamoru shook his head, "I wouldn't do that. They're all I have."

"But you didn't take them with you..." Usagi stopped, realizing she had no idea where he had been since his disappearance. "Where were you, anyway?"

Mamoru ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Short answer is America. But I think I might be able to change that."

Usagi looked over at him, noticing how close he had gotten. "Really?" she asked softly. A nod was her answer as she took the sight of him in once again. It had been so long since she had been able to see him, smell him, and hear him. She had been unable to forget any of it, no matter how hard she tried, but the real thing was so much better than the memories.

"I want to make up for all of the time we lost, Usako." Usagi held her breath at the sound of the pet name. "I didn't have any of these," he gestured to the numerous pictures, "before you, and I didn't have any after you. I can't live like that, Usako. I need you." He reached for her, placing his hand on her cheek, feeling the soft skin beneath his palm. Usagi closed her eyes in response, leaning into the warmth he offered. "Please, tell me what I have to do..."

Usagi reopened her eyes at his plea, "It's been so long..."

"I know, Usako, but I swear to you, I will find a way to make it up," Usagi stopped him by placing a single, slim finger over his mouth.

"You really should learn to not interrupt, Mamo-chan. " Mamoru reflected a confused and hopeful gaze in his eyes as he waited for her to continue. Usagi removed her finger and took his hand in both of her own, smaller ones, placing a light kiss on the back of it. "It's been so long since you've held me."

With that, Mamoru wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on top of her head. Usagi allowed herself to be enveloped by his strength, happy to be surrounded by him once again. They had a long way to go, they both realized, but this was a good start.

* * *

The doors to the arcade swung open and Motoki looked up from the counter to greet the customer, smile falling as he saw Usagi and Mamoru enter together. Confusion crossed his features as he placed a tip into his apron pocket.

"Hey guys," Motoki greeted cautiously, "I didn't expect to see the two of you here today."

Usagi and Mamoru continued forward as they sat on the metal stools at the counter in front of their friend. Usagi smiled at Motoki as he regarded her with curious eyes. "Hey Motoki-san. We were just out so we thought we would stop by."

"Oh?" Motoki turned to the dark man next to the smiling girl, searching for answers.

Mamoru met his gaze intensely, hoping to clear up his friend's confusion. "I had to check out of the hotel. Usa is staying with me while her parents are out of town this weekend."

Surprised to hear this, Motoki turned his attention back to the blonde, "How are you feeling, Usagi-chan? I talked to the girls last night and they were terrified! Have you seen them yet?"

Usagi nodded in response, "I'm fine, Motoki-onii-san. I saw the girls this morning. They stopped the apartment and had breakfast."

"And how did that go?" Motoki asked, leaning forward on the counter.

Mamoru shrugged, "As well as could be expected, I suppose."

As a silence settled in, Motoki watched as Mamoru leaned in to Usagi, placing a hand on her shoulder and whispering in her ear. Motoki's eyes widened in shock and Usagi blushed becomingly, smiling and nodding in response to whatever Mamoru said.

"Can I get a coffee and a milkshake for Usako?" Mamoru asked.

Motoki's eyes widened and he nodded, moving to fill their order. "Sure, man, no problem."

Not long after they received their drinks, the sound of the bell ringing signaled the entrance of four chattering girls. Seeing the two familiar figures at the counter, they each stopped talking, moving toward the counter. As they reached the pair, they were surprised to find them speaking softly, Usagi sipping happily on a strawberry milkshake.

"Usagi-chan?" Ami greeted quietly, grabbing the attention of the two.

Usagi smiled at the appearance of her best friends, "Hey guys! What's up?"

The group was shocked to see her happy expression, as well as the half-empty glass. Rei was pleasantly surprised, if not a bit confused, by the sight of Usagi drinking her favorite concoction. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Usagi with a milkshake.

"Um, Usagi-chan," Minako finally ended the silence, "We were gonna go shopping. Do you wanna come with us?"

Usagi turned to the man next to her, looking for a response. When she saw him smile and nod, she smiled in response, turning back to her friends. "Let's go!" With that, she hopped off of the stool, only stopping to place a chaste kiss on Mamoru's cheek before running out of the arcade with her friends. Mamoru watched, smiling, as she ran off, happy to see her laughing again. When he turned back, he was taken aback by Motoki's presence behind the counter.

"Geeze, Motoki-san! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Still, Motoki remained unfazed, intent on getting answers. "What is going on?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Mamoru, confused by his friend's unusually harsh demeanor.

"Usagi-chan is staying with you? You're in your apartment?"

Mamoru sighed, peering down into his now-empty mug. "I'm just want to make sure she's safe. It was her mother's idea anyway."

"How can you be so blase about this?" Motoki demanded, "You've been gone for three years! You appear out of nowhere and now Usagi-chan is staying with you in your apartment? How the hell did you get your apartment back anyway?"

"I never sold it," he shrugged, "I could never let it go."

Motoki sighed, running his hands through his hair, "I don't know what's going on and I have no idea what you're thinking! But," Motoki paused, "I haven't seen Usagi-chan this happy in a very long time."

A silence set over the pair, as they both contemplated the implications of Motoki's observation. Mamoru knew, even from the short time he had been here, that there was a distinct difference in Usagi's attitude.

"I'm not sure what you did, or if you even did anything at all, but I don't want to see Usagi-chan go back to the way she was." Motoki picked up the glass Usagi left behind. "She hasn't ordered in milkshake in forever. And you got her to drink one like nothing ever changed."

"I love her, Motoki-san," Mamoru said seriously.

"I know that. We all know that. But, Mamoru-san, if you leave again, it will break her," he stated warningly. "If that happens, I could never forgive you."

"I understand."

"Are you sure you do?" Motoki asked, meeting his friend's eyes.

"I have to go. I need to make some phone calls." Motoki nodded in response, knowing he would learn more when Mamoru was ready.

As Motoki watched his friend leave the arcade, he prayed that Mamoru would be able to save Usagi.

* * *

**END CHAPTER 7**

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_AN: Okay, so it took me longer to get this chapter updated than I had hoped. But here it is! And there is one more ready and waiting! Again, I'm in a new state, far away from everything I've ever known, so any reviews would be more appreciated than usual. I hope you liked this chapter and I hope y'all are liking the direction this is going. There will be more twists to come, and many more questions to be answered! The next chapter will be a biggie! Please review!_

_Loves!_


	9. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

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Usagi searched through a rack of clothes, fingering through the garments as she laughed with her friends.

"I'm so glad you came, Usagi-chan," Ami smiled at her from a rack nearby.

"Me, too," Usagi responded, smiling genuinely and her soft-spoken friend.

"So, Usagi-chan," Minako drawled, a devious smirk crossing her sparkling features, "You and Mamoru-san seemed awfully close this morning."

"Not to mention this afternoon in the arcade," Makoto added, making her way over to the group.

At this, Usagi blushed, turning her attention back to the clothes, though she had already searched through the rack. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please! Don't try to act so innocent with us, Usagi-chan. We're not blind," Rei said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So spill!" Makoto encouraged, "What happened between the two of you yesterday?"

"He's taking care of me," Usagi shrugged, hoping to avoid this conversation.

"Yeah, but something tells me you're taking care of him, too," Minako stated suggestively.

"Minako-chan!" Ami admonished her, while Makoto giggled in the background.

"Minako-chan, I can't believe you said that!" Usagi blushed at the bold statement.

"What? What did I say?" Minako asked, clearly not realizing the implications.

"Usagi-chan, are you two back together?" Ami asked seriously, ending the joking atmosphere.

Usagi paused, unsure of the answer herself. "No," she sighed, then "Yes. Maybe." Finally, she dropped her hands from the hangers, turning to face her friends. "I don't know."

"Either way, I, for one, am glad to see you smiling again. I haven't seen you this happy in a very long time, Usagi-chan," Makoto softened as she looked at Usagi's smiling face.

"Me, too," Rei moved to Usagi, taking one of her hands in her own and smiling down at her. "As much as I hate to admit it, that man brought you back to life."

"But, what if he leaves again?" Usagi asked softly, finally allowing herself to voice her fears.

"Usagi-chan, if there's anything I know, it's love! And that man is still head-over-heels for you!" Minako reassured her with a wink.

"But I made him leave," Usagi reminded them, her voice lowering as her eyes began to cloud over. "And it's been so long. Why would he forgive me for what I did?"

Rei shrugged, a smirk on her face. "I have no clue. I sure as hell wouldn't take you back." Usagi nodded in agreement. "But for whatever reason, that idiot would probably beg on bended knee for you to take him back."

"I don't deserve him," Usagi stated simply.

"Usagi-chan, don't say that!" Ami interceded quickly. "You two make each other happy. You've been miserable without him! And Mamoru-san has probably been the same way. You need each other."

Seeing Usagi struggle, Minako moved to her friend and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Usa-chan, you don't have to make a decision right now. We're supposed to be shopping, not making life-changing decisions!"

"For you, Minako-chan, deciding what to buy is a life-changing decision," Makoto teased lightly. The other girls laughed as Minako tried to defend herself.

Usagi gasped, regaining the attention of the group. "What's wrong, Usagi-chan?" Ami asked worriedly.

"There's a sale at the store across the street!" At that, Usagi and Minako squealed, running out of the store.

"Are we absolutely sure that we want the old Usagi-chan back?" Rei teased as she, Ami, and Makoto followed behind.

* * *

"What do you want for dinner, Usako?"

Mamoru stood in the kitchen, looking through the groceries he purchased while Usagi was out with the senshi. Usagi was busy in the guest room, sorting through her purchases. When he didn't receive an answer, he walked to her open door. He smiled when he saw her tossing her new items all over the floor.

"Usako, what in the world are you doing?"

At his voice, Usagi's head snapped up, "Mamo-chan!"

Mamoru shook his head and moved to pick up the clothes, folding them and placing them on the bed. "Why are you throwing your clothes on the floor?"

"I can't find it!" Usagi responded frantically, continuing her search in another shopping bag.

"Find what?"

"I can't tell you!" Usagi answered, as if his question was ludicrous.

"Whatever you say, Usako," Mamoru stated lovingly, rolling his eyes and laughing lightly at her antics. He then remembered the purpose of his visit to the guest room, "What do you want for dinner?"

At that, Usagi paused before returning to her mission with renewed vigor. "Dinner? The girls and I already ate dinner."

Mamoru raised a brow, skeptical of her hesitant response. "Really? Where did you go to eat?"

"Well," Usagi drew out her next statement, "we went to a restaurant next to the mall."

"Oh? What was the name of it?"

"I don't remember," she responded quickly before redirecting the conversation, "But I'm way full so you should just go ahead and eat."

Mamoru sat next to the blonde imp, saddened at the realization that she was lying to him. "What did you have to eat?"

"Just food! Enough with the third-degree!" Usagi lashed out, stopping her search, while still avoiding Mamoru's face entirely.

"Usako," Mamoru started, but was quickly interrupted.

"Stop! Don't even start." Usagi stood up, moving to the window across the room.

Mamoru followed slowly, "Usako, please," he reached the window, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. "You're hurting yourself and it kills me." She only remained silent and Mamoru rested his chin on her shoulder, looking out at the city skyline through the glass.

"Everyday I was gone, I thought about you," he began, "Your eyes, your smile, your laugh. I missed every part of you. I wondered what I did to lose you and if I would ever have the chance to hold you again. Just like this," he tightened his hold on her and Usagi placed her small hands on top of his strong arms. "And when I was sent here, I knew there was no way I could stay away from you. I had to see you again to see everything I had been dreaming of the past three years."

Mamoru paused and silence hung in the air as Usagi waited patiently for him to continue, as she knew he would. "And when I finally saw you, you were as beautiful as I remembered you to be. But, when we were in the back of the arcade, you looked so different. Your eyes didn't sine, you looked so fragile and pale."

Finally, Mamoru turned Usagi around, insistent on seeing her face, and placed his hands on her silky cheeks, while Usagi kept her eyes lowered. "Even if you never want to be with me again, Usako, I have to know that you're safe and happy. That's all that matters to me. I will do anything to make you happy again."

Usagi slowly opened her eyes, smiling gently as she met his deep blues and placed her hands on top of his. "You've always made me happy, Mamo-chan. That was never an issue."

"What do I have to do, Usako? Tell me what to do," Mamoru pleaded.

Usagi shook her head, "I'm the problem, Mamo-chan. Not you."

Realizing that there was more to be said, Mamoru stood patiently, dropping his hands as Usagi moved away and began to speak again.

"It started as a way to shut Rei up about how much I ate. I was just sick of hearing it all the time from her, and from the others. I was going to eat like they did so she would stop picking on me. But then, I just became obsessed with it. Every day that I ate less, I felt better about myself. Rei stopped making fun of me, Ami said she was proud of me for growing up, and Minako said I looked great. You," Usagi paused in her rambling and smiled, "Well, I know you would never care how much I ate. It seemed like I could finally fix everything. I finally had control over something in my life. After years of doing things for everyone else, I finally had some control over one aspect of my life. So I had to keep controlling it.

"But I knew what was happening. And I knew it wasn't healthy. So, I," she stopped and closed her eyes, searching for the right words, "I broke up with you because I was scared. Even when I thought I was controlling my life, it only seemed to get out of control." With her eyes closed tightly, she felt an unwanted tear form and slip through rebelliously. "I didn't want to bring you into it. I didn't want you to know about it. I was so ashamed of what I was doing, but I couldn't stop! I did everything I could to stay away from you. My entire life revolved around food and how much I ate, or didn't eat. It was all I could think about. I was ashamed and I didn't want you to see me like that."

Usagi felt a stream of tears begin to fall and she attempted furiously to wipe them away before they were noticed. "And then you left... I thought it would make it better! But it only made it worse. I was so obsessed with how much I was eating, when I was eating, what I was eating..." her voice dropped as she threw herself on the bed, "And there was no one around to stop it."

After waiting to ensure that she was done, Mamoru wiped a stray tear out of his eye, moving over to the bed to sit next to the lying figure enveloped by the large bed. "I wish you would have told me, Usako. You know you can tell me anything."

She nodded slowly, "I know, but I was so ashamed. And I knew, at the time, that if I told you, you would talk me out of it. If you knew, you would have done everything in your power to make me healthy again. And I couldn't take that. Not then."

The silence reigned over them as Mamoru allowed her the time she needed to recuperate from her confession. "So what changed?" he questioned lightly.

Usagi hummed her response, needing him to repeat the question which had brought her back rom her own thoughts. "What changed?" he repeated patiently.

Usagi contemplated the question for some time, finally shaking her head, "I don't know." The silence hung in the air before she continued, taking a deep breath. "I still can't keep anything from you. I never could."

Running through her confession in his mind, Mamoru considered the reason she gave him for what she had been doing to herself. Control. Usagi had felt as if she was unable to control any facet of her life. Before finally defeating Galaxia, Usagi had been living her life, not for herself, but for the sake of others. While she may have accepted her destiny with open arms, she had given her life over to something else. She was never able to call the shots in her own life.

But Galaxia was gone now. Mamoru, Usagi, and the rest of the girls had been able to rest for the past few years without any disturbance. Simply waiting for the next call to save the world. And with the end of Galaxia, Usagi had been left without that part of her life. For years she had been the savior of love and justice, protecting the world from evil, knowing that she would one day rule over the entire galaxy.

But what was she supposed to do in the mean time?

Finally understanding the strange limbo that Usagi had been facing, Mamoru sighed and turned his body awkwardly to face the slight blonde. Usagi, for her part, was deep in thought as well, focused intensely on the vaulted ceilings of his guest room. Mamoru rested his head in his hand, and, feeling his gaze, Usagi turned to him.

"You can do whatever you want, Usako." Mamoru's words surprised and confused Usagi and she scrunched her face in response, only causing Mamoru to smile at the sight she made. Unable to stop himself, even in the serious moment, he reached his free hand out to grasp a lock of her hair, feeling its shorter length. "There is nothing you have to do now. Galaxia is gone. Who knows how much time we have before some new evil arises, but until then your life is whatever you want to make of it."

"But how long do I have?" Usagi questioned, sadness laced in her words.

Mamoru shrugged, "Who knows? Besides Setsuna, of course." At that, his smirk grew and he winked down at her. Catching on, Usagi, gave a half-smile and a half-hearted shove at his wall of a body. "But who knows how long anyone has, Usa? No one is in control of their destiny or what happens next. The only thing we can do is truly enjoy the time we have."

Usagi seemed to accept this and resumed her position staring at the ceiling, considering the meaning of his words. Finally, just as Mamoru had decided to leave her alone to her thoughts, she turned to him, matching his own posture.

And she was smiling.

"So, what's for dinner?"

* * *

**END CHAPTER 8**

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_**THIS IS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT...**_

_AN: OK, so this will be an interesting way to see how many people actually read these notes... Two things!_

1. _As you may (or may not) know, all of my stories are inspired by songs. This one is no exception! It's even there in the title! But it's very subtle. So, my point - IF YOU CAN GUESS WHAT SONG THIS STORY IS INSPIRED BY, I'll... give you a cookie. Or something. Or maybe just the satisfaction of meeting my little challenge! I will be BEYOND impressed if someone can figure it out. Good luck!_

_2. Call me crazy, but I started another story. I know - this one isn't even done! But it almost is. And you can't stop inspiration! I have the first two chapters written, but I won't release them until this story is done. That is to ensure that this doesn't get put on the back-burner and that I can ensure that the new story will actually go somewhere._

_3. This isn't as earth-shattering as the other two may be, but it is very important. Eating disorders, especially among teenagers and 20-somethings, are very prevalent. The results of eating disorders are very serious, something to which I can attest. Eating disorders, including Anorexia, Bulimia, EDNOS, and Compulsive Overeating lead to more deaths than any other mental disorder and cause severe, long-lasting, or even permanent damage. If you, or anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, PLEASE get them help. And realize that for the vast majority of these men and women, food is not the problem. There is something else that is causing these men and women to hurt themselves. I, myself, will be living with the results of my eating disorder for the rest of my life and will always struggle with these unhealthy compulsions and addictions. _

_OK, I'm off my soapbox, I promise! Just wanted to insert all of those in there. Figured it would be best to do it all at once. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it answered all of the questions! Remember, always read carefully and don't assume things! I imagine there should be about 3 more chapters or so. I'm very excited about the ending!_

_Loves!_


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

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The sound of metal scraping ceramic filled the silence. Usagi was left only to her thoughts as she gazed down into her half-empty bowl. Mamoru was content to merely observe the woman in front of him, washing as Usagi's spoon automatically made its journey from the bowl to her mouth, little time taken between each trip.

"How is it?" he finally asked, his question causing Usagi to pause in her robotic actions. She looked up at him, a sincere smile covering her face.

"It's so good!" She looking back into her bowl, slightly embarrassed by her next comment. "I missed your cooking."

Mamroru released a soft chortle under his breath. "Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore, Usako. You only need ask and I'll make you whatever you want," he assured her. A thought entered his mind as he pondered the years he had missed in her life. The crucial years of college which meant so much to his own life and he allowed himself to spew forth the questions which filled his mind. He realized how little he knew about the matured woman across the table. What else had changed in her life? He wanted to know every detail of the past years. "How's school?" he began, "What's your major?"

Surprised by the change of subject, Usagi only shrugged before responding. "I'm majoring in Literature. Don't really know what I'll do with it though. But I figured if I liked to read manga so much, maybe I should just keep studying stories. Didn't seem too big of a leap for me."

Mamoru smiled, recalling the many times she had sat patiently with him in this very apartment as he worked, her reading her newest manga, spread out on the couch. "What classes are you taking this year? Are you going to finish next year?" His questioning continued, his spoon now resting next to his bowl.

Usagi looked up and raised an amused brow, asking in return, "What's with all the questions?"

Mamoru's lip quirked to one side and he ran a hand through his hair. "Guess I'm just curious to know what I've missed." His honest answer surprised Usagi.

"You missed a lot more than my schoolwork." Her tone was accusatory and she barely noticed Mamoru's wince.

He let out a deep breath and lowered his voice, "I know that." He paused and considered his next words. "And I also know that I can't fix that, but I at least want to try."

Usagi shook her head slowly. "You weren't there for me, Mamoru."

She jumped as Mamoru's fists connected with the table. "And how could I be when you left me with now explanation?" His rhetorical question was angry and Usagi was surprised as she had rarely heard Mamoru raise his voice to her. Considering this burst of anger, Usagi stuttered as she searched for a response, her own self-righteousness suddenly gone. "You obviously didn't want me to know what was happening to you, you said it yourself! You cut yourself off from me, not the other way around, Usagi."

Seeing her wide eyes, he ran a hand through his dark hair once again, attempting to calm himself so as not to frighten her any more than he already had. As she watched Mamoru struggle with his anger, Usagi considered his words. For the first time she considered that maybe he wasn't completely in the wrong. Her contemplative state was disturbed, however, as Mamoru continued in a much more sedate tone. "Usako," he paused, "We have to forgive each other. We both made a huge mistake. We can't fix what happened, but we have to move on." Mamoru reached across the round wooden table to take her hand, noticing how cold it was before returning his attention to her face. "I told you before, but I'll tell you again: I am willing to do whatever it takes to have you in my life again. I was miserable without you. But we can't be happy unless we forgive each other for what happened."

SIlently, Usagi rose and removed her own bowl, reaching for Mamoru's as well. She moved to the kitchen, Mamoru's eyes following her intently, trying to measure her reaction, as she placed the two empty dishes in the sink. Her back turned to him, Mamoru opened his mouth to break the silence, but Usagi beat him to it.

"I got perfect marks last semester," she announced proudly, "And I should get my grades from this semester next week."

Taken aback by the quick change of subject, Mamoru recovered as he realized what she was doing - letting him back into her life. He smiled sincerely as her words sunk in. "That's wonderful, Usako! I'm so proud of you."

She turned back to the table to join him. "Yeah? I don't know about this semester though. I'm worried about my Russian Literature class."

Mamoru caught her hand in his as she moved toward the living room. "Even if you fail every one of your classes this time, I couldn't be more proud of you."

Smiling, Usagi's tone became light and jovial as she playfully smacked his shoulder. "Don't say things like that! You'll jinx me!"

Mamoru stood to follow her into the living room, the both of them landing on the couch. Mamoru turned to face her, ample sunshine filtering through the large windows, creating an ethereal glow around her as she lay her head against the back of the black leather, closing her eyes. After a few minutes in companionable silence, Usagi spoke. "Don't you have work to do or something?"

Mamoru was taken aback, a look of confusion coming over him. "No, not right now. Why?"

"Because you keep staring at me," she smirked, indicating her teasing, "It's creeping me out."

"Well in that case," he stood as he spoke, "there is something I need to take care of at work."

Suprised, Usagi sat up, attention on Mamoru's strong back as he walked away. "What? I was just kidding!"

"I'll tell you when I'm done," Mamoru replied cryptically and turned back to her as he retreated to his office, smiling reassuringly. "I'll let you know what I'm done." He winked at her and closed the door behind him, leaving Usagi to wonder.

* * *

A few hours later, a relieved Mamoru returned from his office, a smile gracing his dark features. Searching for the second occupant in the living room, he was only slightly surprised to find her asleep on the couch, her hands tucked under her cheek as a makeshift pillow, curled up like a child. His smiled softened and continued toward her to move her to the guest room.

Usagi woke up to see Mamoru's face hovering above her, a serene smile on his face. Seeing her large blue eyes open, Mamoru placed a large hand on her soft cheek, nothing the difference in his tanned skin to her own, porcelain shade. "I didn't want to wake you. Go back to sleep, Usako."

Instead of listening to him, however, Usagi sat up slowly and moved to sit with her back against the plush armrest of the couch, pulling her legs up to her chest. "It's OK," she assured him, "I think I've slept enough."

Accepting her response, Mamoru sat down next to her, pulling the tiny woman into his embrace as she tucked her head under his chin. "What can I do for you then?" he asked charmingly, running a hand through her now-shorter blonde locks.

"Just don't move." Her response was so quiet Mamoru had to strain to hear.

"Never," he assured her.

"Never?" Her soft voice repeated, an obvious question underlying the repetition.

Taking her chin, he raised her eyes to meet his own. "Never."

For that, Mamoru was graced with a breathtaking, yet sober smile. "Good."

* * *

The months that followed Mamoru's return resulted in a happy routine for Usagi. Now back at home with her parents and younger brother, Usagi pored herself into her studies. While there was much work to be done (both in school and out) she was finally able to find joy again. With her friends' and parents' insistence, Usagi had entered herself in therapy to battle her eating disorder. Mamoru had been patient throughout her recovery, being a shoulder to cry on when she needed it, as well as a strong voice to remind her of happiness.

Mamoru's appearance had given her (as well as the two of them) a second chance. As they were able to move past their own anger and hurt, they realized that they had been given an opportunity that others could only dream of. While their own mistakes had caused them to lose each other, fate had given them a chance to start fresh. Without the responsibilities of the senshi, they were now able to focus on each other, and schoolwork, of course.

Usagi sat at her white vanity, putting the finishing touches on her paper. She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of her thoughts and focus on the task at hand. Needless to say, it had taken some getting used to for Mamoru to realize Usagi's dedication to her studies. In the past, he tried everything in his power to get Usagi to take her work more seriously. With finals beginning in the next week, Usagi thought, she was going to have to stay focused to finish out the semester. Even thinking about Mamoru while doing work wasn't going to cut it.

With a sigh, Usagi went back to her paper, making a promise to herself to call Mamoru when she was finished. That created a renewed fervor as she pored herself into her paper, the clicking of the keys on her keyboard increased. After just a few minutes, however, she was interrupted by the shrill sound of her cell phone ringing. Leaning over her laptop to locate the phone, Usagi smiled as the caller ID reflected the name consuming her thoughts.

Usagi placed a hand on her waist in mock indignation and reached for the phone to answer. "How am I supposed to get any work done if you won't leave me alone," she teased.

There was a pause before a response, indicating the caller's confusion. "This is the first time I've called today," was the defensive answer.

Usagi laughed lightly. "Never mind. I should probably call it a night anyway. This paper is as good as it's going to get."

"How was your day?" was the question that came next.

Usagi shrugged, knowing her couldn't see her. "Classes were OK. We're starting to get ready for finals. I have so much work to do this weekend," she lamented.

"Did you see Dr. Okasa today?" Mamoru asked, knowing that Friday afternoons were reserved for her treatment.

"Yeah, I think it went really well today," she replied sincerely, recalling her discussion with her therapist. The woman was incredibly sensitive to Usagi's situation. While she certainly couldn't reveal every aspect of her life to the woman, she was able to discuss her lack of control in her life and learn how to deal with her emotions without resorting to her eating disorder.

Content with her response, Mamoru knew not to press Usagi on what she and her doctor had discussed. If she wanted to elaborate, she would. "Good. I'm glad, Usako," he replied sincerely. The change in her in the past few months had been obvious. The sparkle that had been missing upon his return has been renewed. The Usagi he knew and loved from before his departure was back and he loved her more now than ever. "Think you could spare some times for me this weekend?"

With a smile, she hummed, mentally checking her non-existing schedule for the weekend. "I guess I may be able to fit you in. It depends though," she teased, "What did you have in mind?"

His deep laugh rang through the phone. "Well you see," he drawled, "I had a talk with the managing partner at my firm this afternoon." At this, Usagi recalled Mamoru's transfer from his position as an associate attorney in the United States to the firm's branch in Tokyo. They were both relieved at his firm's willingness to work with him as he moved back to his native country. Hearing Mamoru continues, she turned her focus back to his story. "And they have decided to sign me on as a partner."

At this announcement, Usagi gasped in surprise and excitement. "Mamo-chan, really? That's incredible!"

Mamoru chuckled at her enthusiasm. "This will finally allow me to set my own hours and work when I want to work."

Usagi recalled the long hours Mamoru's position required. With both of their schedules filled, they often spent whatever time they did have together catching up on work. "That's such a relief, Mamo-chan. Now I won't have to go through your secretary to set up dates," she teased.

Mamoru's tone, however, turned serious. "I can give you the time you deserve now, Usako. No more late nights and weekends. So you better start clearing your schedule."

"And just in time for the summer!"

"So," he continued, "you and I will be having dinner tomorrow night at seven o'clock on the dot. I will pick up up at six-thirty," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Will it be fancy?"

"The fanciest!," he responded with a laugh. "As if I would take you anywhere less."

"Well," Usagi contradicted, "you often take me to the Crown, but I wouldn't quite call that a five-star restaurant."

"Why, Usa! Motoki-san would be insulted."

"I hope that wouldn't come as much of a surprise to him," she joked.

After saying their goodbyes, Usagi closed her laptop and moved to the bed, already in her pajamas, and fell asleep quickly, dreams of her Mamo-chan filling her night.

* * *

Mamoru opened to door to the passenger side of his sleek sports car as Usagi climbed in with an appreciative smile. Slinding into the dark leather seat, Usagi adjusted her satin dress, pulling the hem down to cover her knee as Mamoru moved to the driver's side.

As he fastened his own seatbelt, Usagi asked with a slight pout, "When are you going to teach me how to drive?"

Mamoru coughed uncomfortably at the question, tightening his grip on the steering wheel possessively. "When I buy you a car that's not this one," he replied seriously.

Usagi's pout deepened. "Do you not trust me?"

Seeing her downturned lips, he leaned across the console separating them to place a chaste kiss on them. "Of course I do, Usa. I would just rather teach in you in a car that's safer, and less expensive," he added under his breath. In order to fend off and lingering questions on the matter, he quickly turned on the charm. "Have I told you yet how beautiful you look?"

Unimpressed, Usagi turned away from him and replied, "Twice. That one makes three times."

Mamoru smirked at her stubbornness and put the car in reverse, pulling out of Usagi's parents' driveway. He kept his focus on the dark roads in front of him. The couple spent the first few minutes of the trip to the restaurant in silence until Usagi's mood shifted and her pout was replaced by a bright smile. She turned sideways in her seat, surprising Mamoru by the sudden action. He looked in her direction, only to see that the short dress slide back up her thigh from the movement.

"I'm just so happy for you, Mamo-chan! But I feel like I should be taking you out to celebrate, not the other way around."

Mamoru smiled adoringly at the statement, removing his hand from the gear shift to place a kiss on the back of her own. "Don't be silly. I love taking you out. Especially if I get to se you dressed like that," he smirked appreciatively as Usagi attempted, once again, to pull down the dress.

"Do you like it?" she asked shyly. "I had to borrow it from Minako-chan because all of my clothes are too small." Her voice trailed off as she spoke and Mamoru tightened his hold on her hand, realizing her embarrassment.

"You look incredible," he reiterated, returning his focus to the road. "I can hardly concentrate on driving, Usako."

She chuckled lightly, her moment of sadness slowly dissipating. "Minako-chan said I'm starting to look like I used to."

"I disagree," he added quickly and Usagi looked at him in confusion. "I think you've never looked better. You look happy, Usako. Genuinely happy."

Usagi stopped to consider this before finally nodding in agreement. "I am happy," she affirmed, taking his hand and giving it a slight squeeze.

* * *

**End Chapter 9**

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_Dear readers, how do I begin to apologize for the unreasonable long delay? I cannot atone for this at all, other than to say that life sure has been interesting lately. It's amazing how being alone in a completely new environment changes things for you - and quickly! I only hope that I have not lost your interest completely! We are in the home stretch now!_

_As for the song that inspired this story, no one has guessed it yet. Keep trying, and if no one has figured it out by the time we're done (which will be shortly, mind you), I will reveal it. I don't want to leave anyone hanging cause that's just not very nice._

_I want to thank all of the reviewers of the last chapter who have been supportive and understanding of the subplot and Usagi's struggle. I always like to keep the characters more realistic, rather than some sort of superheroes, for lack of a better word, without any real human qualities to speak of. I've learned that all people have flaws - some more than other, some flaws more serious than others - and I like to reflect that in all of my stories. Flaws are what make people beautiful and relatable as characters. So I hope you enjoy that aspect of the story as well._

_I will leave you at that and encourage you, once more, to continue reviewing! Your reviews truly mean a lot to me and definitely encourage me to keep going, even when it seems like a task at times. I truly love this process and getting feedback of all sorts for everyone! I read the reviews one at a time, obviously, but I never realized until about a week ago how many reviews this story has accumulated! I am truly touched beyond words! I can only hope that the reviews will continue!_

_Loves!_


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